Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
2nd International Kosovo Academic Research Congress, Priştine, Kosova, 26 - 28 Şubat 2026, ss.906-912, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is mainly associated with orofacial infections, whereas herpes
simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is a sexually transmitted pathogen responsible for most genital lesions.
Following primary infection, HSV establishes lifelong latency in sensory nerve ganglia and may
reactivate under conditions such as stress or immune suppression. HSV infection is particularly
significant during pregnancy due to the risk of neonatal herpes, which may result in severe neurological
outcomes or death. Globally, HSV remains a major public health concern, affecting an estimated 3.8
billion individuals under 50 years of age with HSV-1 and approximately 520 million people aged 15–
49 with HSV-2. This retrospective study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2
among patients admitted to Istanbul Medical Faculty Hospital between 2024 and 2025, evaluating IgG and IgM antibody positivity according to age and gender. Serological analysis was performed using
ELISA (Vircell, Spain); IgG indicates past infection, whereas IgM may reflect recent infection. A total
of 1128 patients were included. HSV-1 IgG positivity was detected in 742/1128 (65.8%) patients, while
HSV-1 IgM was positive in 116/1128 (10.2%). HSV-2 IgG positivity was found in 133/1128 (11.8%)
patients, increasing notably with age, whereas HSV-2 IgM remained low at 13/1128 (1.1%). The high
HSV-1 IgG seroprevalence suggests early-life exposure, while the age-related rise in HSV-2 IgG
indicates increasing exposure in adulthood. Low IgM rates for both viruses suggest limited acute
infection during the study period. These findings contribute to current epidemiological data in Türkiye
and support the development of targeted prevention and public health strategies.