INTRODUCTION

Genital Herpes (GH) is a sexual transmitted infection cause by Herpes Simplex Virus
(HSV), characterized by symptomatic and asymptomatic viral shedding. 1Herpes simplex
virus has two type, Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Herpes Simplex Virustype 2
(HSV-2).Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and -2) are significant human pathogens
causing clinicallyindistinguishable facial and genital lesions. HSV type 1 (HSV-1)
hastraditionally been associated primarily with oral-facial infections,whereas HSV-2 is
generally associated with anogenitalinfections transmitted through sexual activity.Recently,
the number of reported genital herpes has increased.7Globally, the large majority of cases are
caused by HSV-2 but theepidemiology of HSV disease is changing.2,3
Genitalherpes is associated with considerable morbidity and even mortality. The
estimated total number of people aged 1549 years who were living with HSV-2 worldwide
in 2003 is 536 million. More women than men were infected, with an estimated 315 million
infected women compared to 221 million infected men. The number infected increased with
age, most markedly in the younger ages, until it peaked in the age stratum 3539 years of age,
after which it declined slightly.The lowest prevalence was in western Europe, where
prevalence reached a maximum of around 18% among women and 13% among men. The
highest prevalence was in sub-Saharan Africa, where prevalence reached a maximum of 70%
among women and around 55% among men.3
Herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 is the commonest infective cause of genital
ulceration in developed countries.8The higher prevalence among men than women in some
regions, such as southeast asia, is likely due to there being few available seroprevalence
studies for this regions.3Data on prevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infections
are limited in Asia.6 A case study in Rumah Sakit Umum Daerah Dr. SoetomoSurabaya,
Indonesia, show that herpes simplex infection prevalence increase year by year. There is 29
case in 2005 and grow to 83 case in 2007. The distribution of herpes genitalpatients show
women are higher than men by 66,2% (55 person) women and 33,8%(28 person), or by the
ratio 1,96:1.5
In the United States, more than 600,000 new infections annually, 30 million
Americans are HSV-2 infected, approximately one in five adults. Older studies report the
presence of antibodies to HSV-2 varies with the sexual history of the individual: nuns, 3%;

middle class, 25%; heterosexuals at an STD clinic, 26%; homosexuals, 46%; lower classes,
46 to 60%; prostitutes, 70 to 80%.3
Genital herpes is also associated with an increased risk of HIV acquisition by two- to
threefold, HIV Transmission on a per-sexual act basis by up to fivefold, and may account for
4060% of new HIV infections in high HSV-2 prevalence populations. 3Herpes simplex virus
type II (HSV-2) is themost common cause of genital ulcer diseasesworldwide, and through
disruption of theepithelial barrier and inflammation it mayincrease the risk of HIV-1
transmission.4Research by Daviesand team in Indonesia in 2007 found HSV-2 antibodies
were detected in 153 of 176 female sex workers or 86.9%, and this high seroprevalence
among female sex workers has potentially serious implications for the HIV epidemic in
Indonesia.6
Genital herpes disease is a public health importance due to its morbidity and
frequency of recurrence. Genital herpes infection may result in painful and recurrent genital
lesion, syatemic complication, serious psychosocial morbidity and rare but serious outcomes
in neonates born infected women, including permanent neurological handicap and death. This
infection is life-long and once established, there is no treatment wich will eliminate
it.8Therefore our responsibel to avoid and reduce transmission of genital herpes infection.

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