Genital Herpes Simplex Virus Durig Pregnacy:

Seham Abdel Halim El Berry

Genital Herpes Simplex virus (GHV) was investigatedin the cervico vaginal discharge of 96 pregnantwomen, who attended the antenatal care clinic of Benhauniversity hospital during the period from June toJuly 1988.. A’ll women were in the third trimester.The methbds of laboratory investigations for GHV includedtissue culture and enzyme linked immunosorbentassay (Elisa)was 18.8%. The23.6 years, theThe incidence of GHV by tissue culturemean age of the infected group wasmean gravidity was 3.4 and the meanparity was 1.7. The incidence of history of abortionwas significantly higher in the infected group(PO.Oll. Its sensitivity was somewhatlow (44.4%I while it had a good specificity (84.6%Icompared to tissue culture.Conclusion:GHVis a widely distributed disease, althoughit has no specific pathology in most cases. The typicalherpetic lesion discribed in all teatching books isa very rare ll’sion ¥hich may not be detected by mostgynecologists for years. GHVmay be an importantetiological factor in patients complaining of habitualabortion, recurrent and persistant vaginal dischargeespecially when monilial infection is also present.Cases with lower urinary tract symptoms and neuriticpain in the genital area should be investigated forGHV.