OBJECTIVES: a) evaluation of the prevalence of clinical and subclinical HSV infection in Italy; b) correlation between the presence of HSV-antigen and clinical and colposcopic patterns; c) evaluation of the efficacy and safety of the therapy with acyclovir in herpetic infection. METHODS: These data, regarding a multicenter study, cover the whole national territory. So far 11 centers, over 25, sent their samples. According to our protocol all the women coming to colposcopy clinics undergo a direct research of HSV-viral antigen with cervico-vaginal swab, through amplified immunoenzymatic methods (Wellcozyme-HSV). RESULTS: In these preliminary data we have evaluated 1461 patients. 91 cases turned out to be positive (the prevalence is 6.2%). Herpes Genitalis, featuring cervical and vulvar vesicles and ulcerations, was seen in 1 case only. In all the other 90 cases there were no clinical or colposcopic signs of HSV infections, but vulvovaginal burning, itching, pain and dyspareunia was reported in a high percentage. Vulvovaginal mycosis were noted in 15% of the HSV positive patients and trichomoniasis in 11%. HSV-antigen was found in 32.4% of the CIN II cases and 12% of CIN I. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first epidemiological study covering the whole national territory. We think that the more significant datum is the presence, in high percentage, of viral antigen in the genital tract of those patients without visible epithelial lesions and, thanks to the therapy we might get to the point of eliminating aspecific symptomatology and asymptomatic shedding.

Antigens, Viral/ANALYSIS Female Herpes Genitalis/*DIAGNOSIS/EPIDEMIOLOGY Human Italy/EPIDEMIOLOGY Prevalence Simplexvirus/IMMUNOLOGY ABSTRACT

www.aegis.org