Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

LIVE: Thursday 2nd May 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)

Quality sleep is essential for health. But what happens to our brains when sleep patterns are disturbed? Join our experts to explore the interplay between sleep disruption and neurological diseases, and the questions that you need to be asking your patients to help you prevent the harmful effects of sleep deprivation.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Virology Journal
Published in: Virology Journal 1/2009

Open Access 01-12-2009 | Review

Herpes simplex virus infection in pregnancy and in neonate: status of art of epidemiology, diagnosis, therapy and prevention

Authors: Elena Anzivino, Daniela Fioriti, Monica Mischitelli, Anna Bellizzi, Valentina Barucca, Fernanda Chiarini, Valeria Pietropaolo

Published in: Virology Journal | Issue 1/2009

Login to get access

Abstract

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is one of the most common viral sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. The first time infection of the mother may lead to severe illness in pregnancy and may be associated with virus transmission from mother to foetus/newborn.
Since the incidence of this sexually transmitted infection continues to rise and because the greatest incidence of herpes simplex virus infections occur in women of reproductive age, the risk of maternal transmission of the virus to the foetus or neonate has become a major health concern.
On these purposes the Authors of this review looked for the medical literature and pertinent publications to define the status of art regarding the epidemiology, the diagnosis, the therapy and the prevention of HSV in pregnant women and neonate. Special emphasis is placed upon the importance of genital herpes simplex virus infection in pregnancy and on the its prevention to avoid neonatal HSV infections.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Xu F, Sternberg MR, Kottiri BJ, McQuillan GM, Lee FK, Nahmias AJ, Berman SM, Markowitz LE: Trends in herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 seroprevalence in the United States. JAMA 2006, 296: 964-973. 10.1001/jama.296.8.964CrossRefPubMed
2.
Cusini M, Ghislanzoni M: The importance of diagnosing genital herpes. J Antimicrob Chemother 2001, 47: 9-16. 10.1093/jac/47.suppl_1.9CrossRefPubMed
3.
Paz-Bailey G, Ramaswamy M, Hawkes SJ, Geretti AM: Herpes simplex virus type 2: epidemiology and management options in developing countries. Sex Transm Infect 2007, 83: 16-22. 10.1136/sti.2006.020966PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
4.
5.
Smith PD, Roberts CM: American college health association annual pap test and sexually transmitted infection survey: 2006. J Am Coll Health 2009, 57: 389-394. 10.3200/JACH.57.4.389-394CrossRefPubMed
6.
Roberts CM, Pfister JR, Spear SJ: Increasing proportion of herpes simplex virus type 1 as a cause of genital herpes infection in college students. Sex Transm Dis 2003, 30: 797-800. 10.1097/01.OLQ.0000092387.58746.C7CrossRefPubMed
7.
Kriebs JM: Understanding herpes simplex virus: transmission, diagnosis, and considerations in pregnancy management. J Midwifery Womens Health 2008, 53: 202-208. 10.1016/j.jmwh.2008.01.010CrossRefPubMed
8.
Baker DA: Consequences of herpes simplex virus in pregnancy and their prevention. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2007, 20: 73-76. 10.1097/QCO.0b013e328013cb19CrossRefPubMed
9.
Sauerbrei A, Wutzler P: Herpes simplex and varicella-zoster virus infections during pregnancy: current concepts of prevention, diagnosis and therapy. Part 1: herpes simplex virus infections. Med Microbiol Immunol 2007, 196: 89-94. 10.1007/s00430-006-0031-0CrossRefPubMed
10.
Brown ZA, Wald A, Morrow RA, Selke S, Zeh J, Corey L: Effect of serologic status and cesarean delivery on transmission rates of herpes simplex virus from mother to infant. JAMA 2003, 289: 203-209. 10.1001/jama.289.2.203CrossRefPubMed
11.
Desselberger U: Herpes simplex virus infection in pregnancy: diagnosis and significance. Intervirology 1998, 41: 185-190. 10.1159/000024934CrossRefPubMed
12.
Weiss H: Epidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection in the developing world. Herpes 2004, 11: 24A-35A.PubMed
13.
Fleming DT, McQuillan GM, Johnson RE, Nahmias AJ, Aral SO, Lee FK, St Louis ME: Herpes simplex virus type 2 in the United States, 1976 to 1994. N Engl J Med 1997, 337: 1105-1111. 10.1056/NEJM199710163371601CrossRefPubMed
14.
Cusini M, Cusan M, Parolin C, Scioccati L, Decleva I, Mengoli C, Suligoi B, Palú G: Seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection among attendees of a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Italy. Italian Herpes Forum. Sex Transm Dis 2000, 27: 292-295. 10.1097/00007435-200005000-00011CrossRefPubMed
15.
Cunningham AL, Lee FK, Ho DW, Field PR, Law CL, Packham DR, McCrossin ID, Sjögren-Jansson E, Jeansson S, Nahmias AJ: Herpes simplex virus type 2 antibody in patients attending antenatal or STD clinics. Med J Aust 1993, 158: 525-528.PubMed
16.
Smith JS, Robinson NJ: Age-specific prevalence of infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 and 1: a global review. J Infect Dis 2002, 186: S3-S8. 10.1086/343739CrossRefPubMed
17.
Suligoi B, Cusan M, Santopadre P, Palù G, Catania S, Girelli G, Pala S, Vullo V: HSV-2 specific seroprevalence among various populations in Rome, Italy. The Italian Herpes Management Forum. Sex Transm Infect 2000, 76: 213-214. 10.1136/sti.76.3.213PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
18.
Cherpes TL, Meyn LA, Krohn MA, Lurie JG, Hillier SL: Association between acquisition of herpes simplex virus type 2 in women and bacterial vaginosis. Clin Infect Dis 2003, 37: 319-325. 10.1086/375819CrossRefPubMed
19.
Gottlieb SL, Douglas JM Jr, Schmid DS, Bolan G, Iatesta M, Malotte CK, Zenilman J, Foster M, Barón AE, Steiner JF, Peterman TA, Kamb ML, Project RESPECT Study Group: Seroprevalence and correlates of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection in five sexually transmitted-disease clinics. J Infect Dis 2002, 186: 1381-1389. 10.1086/344317CrossRefPubMed
20.
Arvaja M, Lehtinen M, Koskela P, Lappalainen M, Paavonen J, Vesikari T: Serological evaluation of herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 infections in pregnancy. Sex Transm Infect 1999, 75: 168-171. 10.1136/sti.75.3.168PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
21.
Brown ZA, Gardella C, Wald A, Morrow RA, Corey L: Genital herpes complicating pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 2005, 106: 845-856.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Ciavattini A, Vichi M, Rinci A, Tsiroglou D: Infezioni virali in gravidanza: gestione e raccomandazioni. La Colposcopia in Italia 2007, 2: 11-16.
23.
Brown ZA, Selke S, Zeh J, Kopelman J, Maslow A, Ashley RL, Watts DH, Berry S, Herd M, Corey L: The acquisition of herpes simplex during pregnancy. N Engl J Med 1997, 337: 509-515. 10.1056/NEJM199708213370801CrossRefPubMed
24.
25.
Enright AM, Prober CG: Neonatal herpes infection: Diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Semin Neonatol 2002, 7: 283-291.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Chen KT, Segú M, Lumey LH, Kuhn L, Carter RJ, Bulterys M, Abrams EJ, New York City Perinatal AIDS Collaborative Transmission Study (PACTS) Group: Genital herpes simplex virus infection and perinatal transmission of human immunodeficiency virus. Obstet Gynecol 2005, 106: 1341-1348.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Whitley RJ: Herpes simplex viruses. In Fields Virology. 3rd edition. Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia; 1996:2297-2342.
28.
Dickson N, van Roode T, Herbison P, Taylor J, Cunningham A, Paul C: Risk of herpes simplex virus type 2 acquisition increases over early adulthood: Evidence from a cohort study. Sex Transm Infect 2007, 83: 87-90. 10.1136/sti.2006.020883PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
29.
Hollier LM, Wendel GD: Third trimester antiviral prophylaxis for preventing maternal genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) recurrences and neonatal infection. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008, 23: CD004946.
30.
Swiss Herpes Management Forum: Swiss recommendations for the management of genital herpes and herpes simplex virus infection in the neonate. Swiss Med Wkly 2004, 134: 205-214.
31.
Reil H, Bartlime A, Drerup J, Grewing T, Korn K: Clinical validation of a new triplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection and discrimination of Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2. J Mol Diagn 2008, 10: 361-367. 10.2353/jmoldx.2008.070104PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
32.
Scoular A, Gillespie G, Carman WF: Polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of genital herpes in a genitourinary medicine clinic. Sex Transm Infect 2002, 78: 21-25. 10.1136/sti.78.1.21PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
33.
Coyle PV, Desai A, Wyatt D, McCaughey C, O'Neill HJ: A comparison of virus isolation, indirect immunofluorescence and nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of primary and recurrent herpes simplex type 1 and type 2 infections. J Virol Methods 1999, 83: 75-82. 10.1016/S0166-0934(99)00108-1CrossRefPubMed
34.
Slomka MJ, Emery L, Munday PE, Moulsdale M, Brown DW: A comparison of PCR with virus isolation and direct antigen detection for diagnosis and typing of genital herpes. J Med Virol 1998, 55: 177-183. 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9071(199806)55:2<177::AID-JMV15>3.0.CO;2-FCrossRefPubMed
35.
Folkers E, Oranje AP, Duivenvoorden JN, Veen JP, Rijlaarsdam JU, Emsbroek JA: Tzanck smear in diagnosing genital herpes. Genitourin Med 1988, 64: 249-254.PubMedCentralPubMed
36.
Current and emerging technologies of sexually transmitted diseases National Coalition of STD Directors October 5, 2007; New Orleans, Louisiana
37.
Ashley RL, Eagleton M, Pfeiffer N: Ability of a rapid serology test to detect seroconversion to herpes simplex virus type 2 glycoprotein G soon after infection. J Clin Microbiol 1999, 37: 1632-1633.PubMedCentralPubMed
38.
Stone KM, Reiff-Eldridge R, White AD, Cordero JF, Brown Z, Alexander ER, Andrews EB: Pregnancy outcomes following systemic prenatal acyclovir exposure: Conclusions from the international acyclovir in pregnancy registry, 1984–1999. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol 2004, 70: 201-207. 10.1002/bdra.20013CrossRefPubMed
39.
Briggs GG, Freeman RK, Yaffe SJ: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation: a reference guide to foetal and neonatal risk. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia; 2002.
40.
Reiff-Eldridge R, Heffner CR, Ephross SA, Tennis PS, White AD, Andrews EB: Monitoring pregnancy outcomes after prenatal drug exposure through prospective pregnancy registries: a pharmaceutical company commitment. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000, 182: 159-163. 10.1016/S0002-9378(00)70506-0CrossRefPubMed
41.
Andrews WW, Kimberlin DF, Whitley R, Cliver S, Ramsey PS, Deeter R: Valacyclovir therapy to reduce recurrent genital herpes in pregnant women. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2006, 194: 774-781. 10.1016/j.ajog.2005.11.051CrossRefPubMed
42.
Sheffield JS, Hill JB, Hollier LM, Laibl VR, Roberts SW, Sanchez PJ, Wendel GD Jr: Valacyclovir prophylaxis to prevent recurrent herpes at delivery: a randomized clinical trial. Obstet Gynecol 2006, 108: 141-147.CrossRefPubMed
43.
Sheffield JS, Hollier LM, Hill JB, Stuart GS, Wendel GD: Acyclovir prophylaxis to prevent herpes simplex virus recurrence at delivery: a systematic review. Obstet Gynecol 2003, 102: 1396-1402. 10.1016/j.obstetgynecol.2003.08.015CrossRefPubMed
44.
Major CA, Towers CV, Lewis DF, Garite TJ: Expectant management of preterm premature rupture of membranes complicated by active recurrent genital herpes. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003, 188: 1551-1555. 10.1067/mob.2003.388CrossRefPubMed
45.
Watts DH, Brown ZA, Money D, Selke S, Huang ML, Sacks SL, Corey L: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of acyclovir in late pregnancy for the reduction of herpes simplex virus shedding and cesarean delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003, 188: 836-843. 10.1067/mob.2003.185CrossRefPubMed
46.
Patel R, Barton SE, Brown D, Cowan FM, Kinghorn GR, Munday PE, Scoular A, Timmins D, Whittaker M, Woolley P, Herpes Simplex Virus Special Interest Group of the Medical Society for the Study of Venereal Diseases, United Kingdom, European Branch of the International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infection and the European Office of the World Health Organization: European guideline for the management of genital herpes. Int J STD AIDS 2001, 12: 34-39. 10.1258/0956462011924092CrossRefPubMed
47.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG): ACOG practice bulletin. Management of herpes in pregnancy. Number 8 October 1999: Clinical management guidelines for obstetrician-gynecologists. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2000, 68: 165-173. 10.1016/S0020-7292(00)80015-6CrossRef
48.
Clinical Effectiveness Group: National guideline for the management of genital herpes. Sex Transm Infect 1999, 75: S24-S28.
49.
American Academy of Pediatrics: Herpes simplex. In Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 26th edition. Edited by: Pickering LK. Elk Grove Village, IL; 2003:344-353.
50.
Rudnick CM, Hoekzema GS: Neonatal herpes simplex virus infections. Am Fam Physician 2002, 6: 1138-1142.
51.
Whitley RJ, Gnann JW Jr: Herpes simplex virus. In Mucocutaneous Manifestations of Viral Diseases. Edited by: Tyring SK, Yen-Moore A. Informa Health Care, USA; 2002:69-117.CrossRef
52.
Meerbach A, Sauerbrei A, Meerbach W, Bittrich HJ, Wutzler P: Fatal outcome of herpes simplex virus type 1-induced necrotic hepatitis in a neonate. Med Microbiol Immunol 2006, 195: 101-105. 10.1007/s00430-005-0009-3CrossRefPubMed
53.
Mahnert N, Roberts SW, Laibl VR, Sheffield JS, Wendel GD Jr: The incidence of neonatal herpes infection. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2007, 196: 55-56. 10.1016/j.ajog.2006.10.911CrossRef
54.
Brown Z: Preventing herpes simplex virus transmission to the neonate. Herpes 2004, 11 Suppl 3: 175A-186A.PubMed
55.
Whitley R: Neonatal herpes simplex virus infection. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2004, 17: 243-246. 10.1097/00001432-200406000-00012CrossRefPubMed
56.
Marques AR, Straus SE: Herpes simplex type 2 infections – an update. Dis Mon 2000, 46: 327-359.CrossRef
57.
Kesson AM: Management of neonatal herpes simplex virus infection. Paediatr Drugs 2001, 3: 81-90. 10.2165/00128072-200103020-00001CrossRefPubMed
58.
Arvin AM, Whitley RJ, Gutierrez KM: Herpes simplex virus infections. In Infectious Diseases of the Foetus and Newborn Infant. Elsevier Saunders, Philadelphia, PA; 2006:845-865.CrossRef
59.
Goldkrand JW: Intrapartum inoculation of herpes simplex virus by foetal scalp electrode. Obstet Gynecol 1982, 59: 263-265.PubMed
60.
Guill MA, Aton JK, Rogers RB: Neonatal herpes simplex associated with foetal scalp monitor. J Am Acad Dermatol 1982, 7: 408-409. 10.1016/S0190-9622(82)80327-7CrossRefPubMed
61.
Kaye EM, Dooling EC: Neonatal herpes simplex meningoencephalitis associated with foetal monitor scalp electrodes. Neurology 1981, 31: 1045-1047.CrossRefPubMed
62.
Parvey LS, Ch'ien LT: Neonatal herpes simplex virus infection introduced by foetal-monitor scalp electrodes. Pediatrics 1980, 65: 1150-1153.PubMed
63.
Kimberlin DW, Lin CY, Jacobs RF, Powell DA, Frenkel LM, Gruber WC, Rathore M, Bradley JS, Diaz PS, Kumar M, Arvin AM, Gutierrez K, Shelton M, Weiner LB, Sleasman JW, de Sierra TM, Soong SJ, Kiell J, Lakeman FD, Whitley RJ, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Collaborative Antiviral Study Group: Natural history of neonatal herpes simplex virus infections in the acyclovir era. Pediatrics 2001, 108: 223-229. 10.1542/peds.108.2.223CrossRefPubMed
64.
Greenes DS, Rowitch D, Thorne GM, Perez-Atayde A, Lee FS, Goldmann D: Neonatal herpes simplex virus infection presenting as fulminant liver failure. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1995, 14: 242-244.CrossRefPubMed
65.
Kimura H, Futamura M, Ito Y, Ando Y, Hara S, Sobajima H, Nishiyama Y, Morishima T: Relapse of neonatal herpes simplex virus infection. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2003, 88: 483-486. 10.1136/fn.88.6.F483CrossRef
66.
Kimberlin D, Powell D, Gruber W, Diaz P, Arvin A, Kumar M, Jacobs R, Van Dyke R, Burchett S, Soong SJ, Lakeman A, Whitley R: Administration of oral acyclovir suppressive therapy after neonatal herpes simplex virus disease limited to the skin, eyes and mouth: results of a phase I/II trial. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1996, 15: 247-254. 10.1097/00006454-199603000-00014CrossRefPubMed
67.
Kimberlin DW, Lin CY, Jacobs RF, Powell DA, Corey L, Gruber WC, Rathore M, Bradley JS, Diaz PS, Kumar M, Arvin AM, Gutierrez K, Shelton M, Weiner LB, Sleasman JW, de Sierra TM, Weller S, Soong SJ, Kiell J, Lakeman FD, Whitley RJ, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Collaborative Antiviral Study Group: Safety and efficacy of high-dose intravenous acyclovir in the management of neonatal herpes simplex virus infections. Pediatrics 2001, 108: 230-238. 10.1542/peds.108.2.230CrossRefPubMed
68.
American Academy of Pediatrics: Committee on Infectious Diseases. In Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 25th edition. Edited by: Pickering LK. Elk Grove Village, IL; 2003:309-318.
69.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG): ACOG Clinical Practice Bulletin No. 57: Gynecologic herpes simplex virus infections. Obstet Gynecol 2004, 104: 1111-1117.CrossRef
70.
Freeman EE, White RG, Bakker R, Orroth KK, Weiss HA, Buvé A, Hayes RJ, Glynn JR: Population-level effect of potential HSV2 prophylactic vaccines on HIV incidence in sub-Saharan Africa. Vaccine 2009, 27: 940-946. 10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.11.074PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
71.
Ramachandran S, Kinchington PR: Potential prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for HSV infections. Curr Pharm Des 2007, 13: 1965-1973. 10.2174/138161207781039760CrossRefPubMed
72.
Jennings R, Green T, Kinghorn GR: Herpesvirus vaccines: an update. BioDrugs 1998, 10: 257-264. 10.2165/00063030-199810040-00001CrossRefPubMed
73.
Stanberry LR, Spruance SL, Cunningham AL, Bernstein DI, Mindel A, Sacks S, Tyring S, Aoki FY, Slaoui M, Denis M, Vandepapeliere P, Dubin G, GlaxoSmithKline Herpes Vaccine Efficacy Study Group: Glycoprotein-D-adjuvant vaccine to prevent genital herpes. N Engl J Med 2002, 347: 1652-1661. 10.1056/NEJMoa011915CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Herpes simplex virus infection in pregnancy and in neonate: status of art of epidemiology, diagnosis, therapy and prevention
Authors
Elena Anzivino
Daniela Fioriti
Monica Mischitelli
Anna Bellizzi
Valentina Barucca
Fernanda Chiarini
Valeria Pietropaolo
Publication date
01-12-2009
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Virology Journal / Issue 1/2009
Electronic ISSN: 1743-422X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-422X-6-40

Other articles of this Issue 1/2009

Virology Journal 1/2009 Go to the issue

Research

Pathological studies on postvaccinal reactions of Rift Valley fever in goats

Research

Temporal and geographic evidence for evolution of Sin Nombre virus using molecular analyses of viral RNA from Colorado, New Mexico and Montana

Short report

Prediction of viral microRNA precursors based on human microRNA precursor sequence and structural features

Research

Expression of Human CD4 and chemokine receptors in cotton rat cells confers permissiveness for productive HIV infection

Research

Prevalence of HBV and HCV among blood donors in Kosovo

Research

Epstein-Barr Nuclear Antigen 1 modulates replication of oriP-plasmids by impeding replication and transcription fork migration through the family of repeats

ACC 2024 Congress Coverage

Heart Failure Video

Year in Review: Heart failure and cardiomyopathies

Watch now

Watch this official video from ACC.24 to hear Dr. Biykem Bozkurt discuss last year's major advances in heart failure and cardiomyopathies.

Semaglutide benefits people with type 2 diabetes and obesity-related heart failure

16-04-2024 Type 2 Diabetes News

Incentivised to exercise

11-04-2024 Lifestyle Modifications News

New intervention for STEMI-related cardiogenic shock

10-04-2024 Myocardial Infarction News

» View more highlights on the ACC 2024 congress hub page

Image Credits