Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36420003›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in public health2022

Herpes simplex virus type 2 seroprevalence and associated factors in fertility-treatment-seeking population: A cross-sectional survey in the United Arab Emirates.

Noor Motea Abdo, Irfan Aslam, Shazia Irfan, Junu A George, Ahmed R Alsuwaidi, Luai A Ahmed, Rami H Al-Rifai

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 28% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Noor Motea AbdoInstitute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Irfan AslamHealthPlus Fertility and Genetics Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Shazia IrfanHealthPlus Fertility and Genetics Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Junu A GeorgeDepartment of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Ahmed R AlsuwaidiDepartment of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Luai A AhmedInstitute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Rami H Al-RifaiInstitute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
United Arab Emirates University · AEIVI Middle East Fertility Clinic · AEZayed University · AE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is a common genitally-transmitted viral infection affecting more than 400 million individuals globally. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in specific at-risk population groups, the burden of HSV-2 has not been reported. This study investigated the prevalence of HSV-2 IgG antibodies in patients seeking fertility treatment and characterized patients with seropositivity to HSV-2 IgG antibodies. Methodology: A cross-sectional sample of patients seeking fertility treatment in a major fertility clinic in Abu Dhabi, UAE was surveyed from April to May 2021. Patients were consecutively invited to complete self-administered questionnaires and provide blood for HSV-2 testing. Information on sociodemographics, medical history, and infertility was collected. Serum specimens were screened using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for HSV-2 IgG antibodies detection. Results: Two hundred and ninety-nine patients were surveyed and provided blood samples. The mean age of the patients was 35.9 ± 6.8 [mean ± standard deviation (SD)] years with 89.3% being women. Sixty-six percent were overweight or obese, 25.0% had at least one chronic comorbidity, and 19.6% reported ever-had genital infection. More than two-thirds (68.3%) of the patients were infertile for ≥ 6 months. Of the 42 infertile males, 69.0% had an abnormal semen analysis. HSV-2 IgG antibodies was detected in 12.4% of patients. The HSV-2 IgG seropositive patients had a higher mean age (39.5 vs. 35.4 years; p < 0.001) compared to seronegative patients. HSV-2 IgG antibodies seropositivity was more common in males (15.6%) than females (12.0%), in patients with secondary (14.1%) vs. primary (9.2%) infertility, or in males with abnormal (10.3%) vs. normal (7.7%) semen. Conclusion: Exposure to HSV-2 at any time in patients seeking fertility treatment in the UAE was found to be slightly common in more than one out of 10 patients. Tailored health campaigns on HSV-2 prevention are warranted.

Indexed as

Herpes GenitalisInfertilityAntibodies, ViralCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHerpesvirus 2, HumanHumansImmunoglobulin GMaleSeroepidemiologic StudiesUnited Arab EmiratesAntibodies, ViralImmunoglobulin Gfertilitygenital infectionsherpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)infertilitypregnancyreproductive health

Identifiers

PMID36420003
PMCPMC9677722
OpenAlexW4308471800

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.