Time trends in herpesvirus seroepidemiology among Swedish adults

• Background: Human herpesviruses are widespread among the human population. The infections often occurunnoticed, but severe disease as well as long-term sequelae are part of the symptom spectrum. The prevalence variesamong subpopulations and with time. The aim of this study was to describe the seroprevalence of ImmunoglobulinG against Herpes simplex 1, Herpes simplex 2, Epstein-Barr virus and Cytomegalovirus in the adult Swedish populationover a time period of several decades.Methods: Serum samples (n = 892) from biobanks, originating from 30-year-old women, 50-year-old menand 50-year-old women sampled between 1975 and 2018, were analyzed for presence of anti-herpesvirus antibod-ies. Linear regression analysis was used to test for a correlation between birth year and seroprevalence. Multiple linearregression analysis was used to differentiate between other factors such as age and gender.Results: Birth year correlated negatively with the prevalence of immunoglobulin G against Herpes simplex 1and Epstein-Barr virus (p = 0.004 and 0.033), and positively with Immunoglobulin G against Cytomegalovirus(p = 0.039). When participant categories were analyzed separately, birth year correlated negatively with the preva-lence of Immunoglobulin G against Herpes simplex 1 and Herpes simplex 2 (p = 0.032 and 0.028) in 30-year-old women,and with the prevalence of Immunoglobulin G against Cytomegalovirus in 50-year-old men (p = 0.011).Conclusions: The prevalence of Immunoglobulin G against Herpes simplex 1, Herpes simplex 2 and Epstein-Barr virusdecreases in later birth cohorts. This indicates a trend of declining risk of getting infected with these viruses as a childand adolescen (9) (PDF) Time trends in herpesvirus seroepidemiology among Swedish adults. 

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Geriatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Geriatrics (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Infektionsmedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Infectious Medicine (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Dermatologi och venereologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Dermatology and Venereal Diseases (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Herpes

Herpes simplex

Epstein-Barr virus

Cytomegalovirus

Seroprevalence

Epidemiology

Time trends

Immunoglobulin G

Infectious Diseases

infektionssjukdomar

Geriatrics

geriatrik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)