Seroprevalence of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV 2) in Women with Bad Obstetric History

HSV 2 is common human pathogen that lead to lifelong latent infection and may be associate with trans mission from mother to their fetus. The risk factors associated with HSV 2 seropositivity in pregnant women in Iraq are not known. The present study conducted to verify the prevalence of HSV 2 infect ions in women with bad obstetric history (BOH) in Kirkuk Governorate. HSV 2 seropositivity among women aged 17 to 47 years was investigated by determination of HSV 2 IgG and IgM in prospective a case control descriptive study. The overall HSV 2 seroprevalence was 24.2%, with a significant difference between women with BOH and women with normal pregnancy. HSV 2 IgM, as an indicator of current infection was demonstrated in 3.2% of the studied population, and was significantly higher in women with BOH compared to women with normal pregnancy. Both HSV 2 IgG and IgM were significantly varied with age groups, with trends of increasing with older ages. HSV 2 IgG was statistically significantly higher in working women as compared to housewife. Significant association was found between HSV 2 seroprevalence and family size and education levels.