Use your browser's BACK button to return to your page of origin.
The psychosocial impact of serological diagnosis of asymptomatic herpes
simplex virus type 2 infection.
Sex Transm Inf 2006; 82:154-157.
Rosenthal SL, Zimet GD, Leichliter JS, Stanberry LR, Fife KH, Tu W,
Bernstein DI.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of a positive herpes simplex virus type
2 (HSV-2) serological test on psychosocial functioning among people with
no known history of genital herpes. METHODS: Individuals (age 14-30 years)
without a history of genital herpes were recruited from an urban university
setting and sexually transmitted diseases (STD), primary care, and adolescent
clinics. Participants completed a questionnaire addressing psychological
functioning, psychosocial adjustment, and perceived quality of sex and were
offered free HSV-2 antibody testing. 33 HSV-2 positive people and 60 HSV-2
negative people demographically matched from the same source of recruitment
were re-evaluated at a 3 month follow up visit. HSV-2 positive participants
also completed a genital herpes quality of life (GHQOL) measure. RESULTS:
Of the 33 who were HSV-2 seropositive, four did not recall their diagnosis.
In comparing those who were HSV-2 positive with those who were negative,
repeated measures analysis of variance indicated there were no significant
differences over time on any of the measures. None the less, many HSV-2 positive
individuals indicated that the diagnosis had a notable impact on their quality
of life. Also, among the HSV-2 positive people, lower GHQOL at the 3 month
follow up was predicted by higher interpersonal sensitivity (r = -0.44, p<0.05),
lower social support (r = 0.40, p<0.05), and quality of sex (r = 0.62,
p<0.01) at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnosis of asymptomatic HSV-2 infection
does not appear to cause significant lasting psychological difficulties.
Those for whom the diagnosis had the greatest impact were interpersonally
vulnerable before the diagnosis. These results suggest that assessment of
interpersonal distress may be important to include as part of pretest and
post-test counselling.
