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Genital herpes and hepatitis in healthy young adults
Author(s) -
Minuk G.Y.,
Nicolle L.E.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890190309
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatitis , sex organ , malaise , incidence (geometry) , sexually transmitted disease , herpes simplex virus , viral disease , population , hepatitis a , immunology , gastroenterology , syphilis , virus , biology , genetics , physics , environmental health , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , optics
Although case reports of herpes simplex virus (HSV) causing acute hepatitis in otherwise healthy adults have appeared recently in the literature, a prospective study of the incidence of HSV‐hepatitis in the general population hitherto has not been reported. In the present study, serum samples from 124 young adults attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic with either genital herpes infections (n = 86) or non‐herpes sexually transmitted diseases (n = 38) (controls) were analyzed for liver enzyme abnormalities (including aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and alanine aminotransferase [ALT]). Twelve of eighty‐six (14%) herpes‐infected patients had mildly abnormal liver enzyme tests (≤ twice the upper limit of normal) as opposed to only 1 of 38 controls (2.6%), (P < .05). All individuals in the herpes‐hepatitis group were anicteric, and only two complained of constitutional symptoms (malaise and fatigue). Liver enzyme tests were repeated in nine herpes‐hepatitis patients 1 week after their genital lesions had resolved, and in six of nine patients the results had returned to within normal limits. Four patients subsequently returned at the onset of a recurrence of their genital herpes. In all four, serum ALT levels were elevated from the previous occasion, and in three of the four levels just exceeded the upper limit of normal. One patient was followed through three recurrences of his genital herpes. In that individual, the extent of liver enzyme abnormalities appeared to correlate with the presence or absence of his genital lesions. The results of this study indicate that individuals with genital herpes infections more commonly have elevated liver enzyme levels than individuals with non‐herpes sexually transmitted disease. The limited extent of the enzyme elevations, however, suggests that genital herpes is rarely associated with significant liver disease in healthy young adults.