The frequency of genital Herpes simplex type 2 infections in a group of twenty adult Costa Rican women was studied by isolation of the virus and the measurement of neutralizing antibody activity in sera. The virus could not be isolated in any of the vaginal secretions. Neutralizing antibody activity to herpes virus types 1 and 2 was found in sera from sixteen subjects. An antibody II/I index equal to or larger than 87, indicative of infection with Herpes simplex type 2 was found in fifty per cent of the population studied, a second segment was composed by the subjects with indices below 87. Evaluation of antibody activity to Herpes simplex type 2 revealed that: a) only a small percentage of the women lacked detectable antibody activity to the virus; b) there is a significant difference (p < 0.005) between the mean number of years of sexual experience among the two population segments; and c) there is a positive correlation (p < 0.05) between II/I index values and age among the women of the population segment with a II/I index equal to or larger than 87.
PIP: Aim of this study was to determine the presence of the virus Herpes Simplex type 2 by isolating it in the vaginal secretion of 20 adult women, and to determine the presence of neutralizing antibodies in the blood serum before the women initiated hormonal contraception. This work is part of an investigation aimed at studying several biochemical parameters which can be affected by the continued use of hormonal contraception. The virus was not isolated in any vaginal secretion, and neutralizing antibody activity to Herpes virus types 1 and 2 were found in sera from 16 subjects. An antibody 2/1 index = or than 87 indicative of infection with Herpes Simplex type 2 was found in 50% of subjects. Evaluation of antibody activity in this group revealed that only a small percentage of women are not protected against the virus, that there is a significant difference in the number of sexual relations among the population segments, and that antibodies are acquired at a very early age.