Neutralizing antibodies to herpesvirus types 1 and 2 in Montreal women.

Abstract

McDonald, A. D. (Dept. Epidemiology and Health, McGill U., Montreal, Canada), M. C. Williams, R. West and J. Stewart. Neutralizing antibodies to herpesvirus types 1 and 2 in Montreal women. Am J Epidemiol 100:124–129, 1974.—Sera from 564 females aged 2–55 years from a random sample of households in Metropolitan Montreal were tested by microneutralization for antibodies to herpesvirus types 1 and 2. Some 65% of children aged 2–15 years were without herpesvirus antibody but only 7% of women aged 46–55. Neutralizing antibodies resulting from a type 2 infection were estimated using the ratio of type 2 to type 1 titers. Herpesvirus type 2 infections were thus found to have occurred infrequently in females of less than 16 years but in 24% of those aged 46–55 years. The prevalence of antibodies to both types of herpesvirus was clearly associated with mean annual income in the census tract of residence. Evidence of an infection to either type was found at a considerably later age in persons living in higher income areas. The transmission of both oral and genital herpesvirus appears to be similarly influenced by living conditions.