Sexual History and Epstein‐Barr Virus Infection | Zendy

Dorothy H. Crawford | Zendy; Anthony J. Swerdlow | Zendy; Craig Higgins | Zendy; Karen A. McAulay | Zendy; Nadine Harrison | Zendy; Hilary Williams | Zendy; Kathryn A. Britton | Zendy; Karen F. Macsween | Zendy

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Sexual History and Epstein‐Barr Virus Infection

Author(s) -

Dorothy H. Crawford,

Anthony J. Swerdlow,

Craig Higgins,

Karen A. McAulay,

Nadine Harrison,

Hilary Williams,

Kathryn A. Britton,

Karen F. Macsween

Publication year - 2002

Publication title -

the journal of infectious diseases

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.69

H-Index - 252

eISSN - 1537-6613

pISSN - 0022-1899

DOI - 10.1086/342596

Subject(s) - asymptomatic , mononucleosis , serology , transmission (telecommunications) , medicine , sexual transmission , sexual intercourse , immunology , virus , epstein–barr virus infection , epstein–barr virus , demography , virology , population , antibody , environmental health , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , microbicide , sociology , electrical engineering , engineering

To determine the role of sexual contact in transmission of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and occurrence of infectious mononucleosis (IM), a cross-sectional study was undertaken of EBV serologic testing and histories of IM and sexual behavior among 1006 new students at Edinburgh University. Prevalence of EBV seropositivity was significantly greater among women (79.2%) than among men (67.4%; P<.001) and among those who had ever been sexually active (82.7%) than among those who had not (63.7%; P<.001). Having a greater number of sex partners was a highly significant risk factor for EBV seropositivity. Two thirds of IM cases, but only a tenth of asymptomatic primary EBV infections, were statistically attributable to sexual intercourse. The findings suggest that EBV transmission occurs during sexual intercourse or closely associated behaviors. Transmission in this way appears to account for most cases of IM but for only a minority of cases of asymptomatic EBV infection, which mainly occur at younger ages.

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