Unexpected high prevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 seropositivity and HSV genital shedding in pregnant women living in an East Paris suburban area.

Both herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) seroprevalence and the proportion of HSV-1 genital ulcers are increasing in industrialized countries. The consequences of these epidemiological changes, in pregnant women in France, for both the genital shedding of HSV and vertical transmission, have been poorly evaluated. The HSV-1 and HSV-2 seroprevalence and the rate of subclinical genital shedding of herpes close to delivery were evaluated in pregnant women, with no history of genital herpes, living in the East Paris suburban area. HSV-2 antibody prevalence of 26% was significantly associated with country of origin and was higher than that reported in 2002 in French women from the general population (18%). HSV-2 and HSV-1 genital reactivations were observed in 10% of HSV-2 seropositive and in 4% of HSV-1 seropositive and HSV-2 seronegative women, respectively. The high rates of HSV-2 seropositivity and subclinical herpes genital shedding observed in this study should be considered to promote a national survey in pregnant women to propose strategies to prevent the spread of HSV within the population and to the neonate.