Herpes Infections Common
Among Lesbians
Reuters Health
Will Boggs, MD
January 2, 2004
A new study shows that herpes simplex virus infections are common among women who have sex with women. Nearly half the women (46 percent) in the study tested positive for HSV-1, the usual cause of cold sores, and 7.9 percent tested positive for HSV-2, which causes genital infections. The study is the first to report HSV prevalence in this group specifically, according to Dr. Jeanne M. Marrazzo of Harborview Medical Center, Seattle.
Marrazzo and colleagues took medical and sexual histories from 392 women, including both members of 71 couples, who reported having sex with a woman during the preceding year, and tested for HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies in their blood. Most of the women (80 percent) had also had sex with a man at some time; 28 percent had sex with a man during the previous year. Of 257 participants who identified themselves as lesbians, the figures were 73 percent for HSV-1 and 8.6 percent for HSV-2.
"This means that routine acquisition of chronic viral sexually transmitted diseases like herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), HIV and hepatitis B can occur at the same rate as in strictly heterosexual women," Marrazzo said. "Providers should really assume nothing when a woman says, 'I'm a lesbian' - at least in terms of prior viral sexually transmitted disease acquisition - until a more complete history is taken."
Nearly all women reported giving and receiving oral-vaginal and digital-vaginal sex with female partners during the past year; 34 percent reported oral-anal sex; and 63 percent reported digital-anal sex. Only 9 percent of 31 HSV-2-positive subjects reported a history of genital herpes, and only 30 percent of HSV- 1-positive women reported a history of cold sores. HSV-2 was linked to having a male sex partner with genital herpes, while HSV-1 was directly related to the number of prior female partners, according to the study.
"This suggests, but does not prove, that
lesbians might be at increased risk for sexual acquisition of HSV-1 from their
female partners, likely through oral sex," Marrazzo said. The
study, "Prevalence and Risk Factors for Infection with Herpes Simplex Virus
Type-1 and -2 Among Lesbians," appeared in Sexually Transmitted Diseases
(2003;30(12):890-895).