Dueñas, A., E. Adams, J. L. Melnick and W. E. Rawls (Dept. of Virology and Epidemiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77025). Herpesvirus type 2 in a prostitute population. Am J Epidemiol 95: 483–489, 1972.—Serum samples and personal data were collected from 343 registered prostitutes in Cali, Colombia. Antibodies to herpes-virus type 2 were found among 123 of 196 (63%) Mestizo and 91 of 147 (62%) Negro women. The occurrence of antibodies was dependent on present age; 27% of women 14–15 years of age were positive for antibodies and the frequency increased rapidly reaching 65 to 73% for groups of women over 20 years of age. The frequency of antibodies was also dependent upon the duration of prostitution. Among women under 30 years of age there was a greater occurrence of antibodies to the virus among women with serologic evidence of syphilis. Herpesvirus type 2 was isolated from the genital secretions of approximately 7% of the prostitutes, more frequently from those under than over 20 years of age. The similar occurrence of antibodies to herpesvirus type 2 among Negro and Mestizo prostitutes suggests that racial differences in the antibody patterns following infection by the virus do not exist.
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Duenas et al. (1972) studied this question.