Herpes simplex virus type 2(HSV-2) is one of the major causes of anogenital sores in humans. This study aims to determine the seroprevalence of HSV 2 among HIV positive subjects attending the Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) clinic of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria.
A total of 200 blood samples were collected from consenting adults and were analysed for HSV-2 antibodies using ELISA. Socio-demographic data, socio-economic factors, behavioral characteristics and the health status of the subjects were obtained using the administered questionnaire.
Results revealed that a seroprevalence of 49.5% (99/200) was obtained for subjects positive for IgM antibodies to the virus. Of the positive subjects, 67 (33.5%) were females while 32 (16.0%) were males (P=0.102). Subjects who were in the age range of 31-40 had the highest seropositivity while those in the age range of 61-70 had the lowest (p=0.002) High seropositivity was noticed with subjects residing in urban areas, 87 (43.5%) compared to 12 (6.0%) for rural dwellers (p=0.047). Trends of increasing seropositivity were observed in this order: divorced, widowed, separated, single and married (p=0.000). The group of subjects with tertiary education had the highest valueHSV-2 prevalence (p=0.001) while subjects by occupational status reveals that the self employed/business people had the highest prevalence of 57(28.5%) at p=0.045. Among the self-employed, traders 49 (24.5%) ranked highest at p=0.001. Respondents that reported yes to the use of condom and that without an answer was associated with the acquisition of the virus. (p=0.000). Similarly, there was significance in relation to subjects that used condoms all the time and those that gave no answer to the use of condom to acquiring the virus(p=0.003)
This study concludes that most of the infected subjects were asymptomatic to HSV-2, Therefore strict adherence to hygiene and safe-sex practice is advocated.
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