Seroprevalences of herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 among pregnant women in the Netherlands.

Background: In the Netherlands 73% of cases of neonatal herpes are caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), whereas in the United States a majority are caused by HSV type 2 (HSV-2). GOAL To understand this difference we undertook a seroepidemiological study on the prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 among pregnant women.

Study Design: Type-specific antibodies to HSV-1 and HSV-2 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from 1,507 pregnant women in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Nijmegen.