SynthesisSexually transmitted infections2025
Estimated global and regional incidence and prevalence of herpes simplex virus infections and genital ulcer disease in 2020: mathematical modelling analyses.
Synthesis in Sexually transmitted infections, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 58 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
58 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Prevalence and epidemiological patterns of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in sub-Saharan Africa, 1964-2025: Systematic review, meta-analyses, and meta-regressions.PLoS medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Global epidemiology of neonatal herpes: systematic review, meta-analyses, and meta-regressions.Journal of global health · 2026Pooled it
- Global prevalence of herpes simplex virus among pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Pooled it
- Global Seroprevalence (HSV-2 IgG), Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Genital Herpes Infection During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of pregnancy · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy and Safety of Pritelivir vs Foscarnet for the Treatment of Acyclovir-Refractory Herpes Simplex Virus Infection in Immunocompromised Adults: A Randomized, Open-Label Phase 2 Trial.Open forum infectious diseases · 2026Trial
- HSV-1 metabolic hijacking: Mechanisms to precision therapeutics.Virulence · 2026Review
- Association of Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 With Dementia Outcomes: Longitudinal Retrospective Cohort Study Using Real-World Electronic Health Record Data.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Cell death network regulation in HSV infection: immune evasion versus host defense.Apoptosis : an international journal on programmed cell death · 2026Review
- Viral Nuclease Inhibitors: Small molecule disruptors of the UL12 alkaline nuclease display broad anti-herpes virus activity.PLoS pathogens · 2026Article
- Antiviral Activity and Mucosal Safety of Novel Human-Milk-Inspired Antimicrobial Peptides.Pharmaceutics · 2026Article
- A Decade of the Global STI Vaccine Roadmap: Progress, Gaps and Challenges.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2026Article
- Article
- Projected public health benefits of a hypothetical HSV-1 vaccine in the United States: A mathematical modeling analysis.Science advances · 2026Article
- Viral Nuclease Inhibitors: Small molecule disruptors of the UL12 alkaline nuclease display broad anti-herpes virus activity.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Mathematical modeling of the population-level impact of hypothetical herpes simplex virus type 2 curative therapy.Communications medicine · 2026Article
- The human skin virome: Ecological dynamics, aberrant profiles, and therapeutic opportunities.Cell host & microbe · 2026Review
- Beyond the Barrier: Epithelial Cells as Immune Sentinels in the Female Genital Tract.American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989) · 2026Review
- Immunization with Herpes Simplex Virus Nanoparticles Targeting Both Attachment and Fusion Protect Against Infection.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Development of a HiFi-LAMP assay for the detection of herpes simplex virus type 1.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Sex-specific biological susceptibility and sexual mixing patterns in herpes simplex virus type 2 transmission: a mathematical modeling study.BMC global and public health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesGenital herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and 2 infections are lifelong and can cause symptomatic genital ulcer disease (GUD). HSV-2 almost always causes sexually transmitted genital infection, while HSV-1 mainly causes oral infection but can be sexually transmitted to cause genital infection. This study estimated genital infection with both HSV types and associated GUD globally in 2020, breaking down the data by WHO region and sex for females and males.
methodsA calibrated mathematical model was employed to generate estimates for the incidence and prevalence of HSV-2 infection, genital HSV-1 infection, and GUD caused by both HSV types. Estimates for non-genital infections caused by HSV-1 were also generated. Model input was derived from a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analyses of HSV prevalence data for all WHO regions.
resultsGlobally in 2020 there were 25.6 million (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 23.1-29.4 million) people aged 15-49 years with new HSV-2 infections, and 519.5 million (95% UI 464.3-611.3 million), or 13.3% (95% UI 11.9-15.6%), with existing (prevalent) HSV-2 infections. In addition, there were 16.8 million (95% UI 10.6-22.4 million) people aged 15-49 years with new genital HSV-1 infections and 376.2 million (95% UI 235.6-483.5 million), or 10.2% (95% UI 6.4-13.1%), with prevalent genital HSV-1 infections. The estimated number of people aged 15-49 years with at least one episode of HSV-attributable GUD in 2020 was 187.9 million (95% UI 116.0-291.8 million) for HSV-2, and 16.7 million (95% UI 9.3-25.2 million) for HSV-1, totalling 204.6 million (95% UI 132.3-306.5 million).
conclusionGenital HSV infections have a high incidence and prevalence worldwide, contributing to a significant GUD disease burden. New prevention and treatment measures, such as prophylactic and therapeutic HSV vaccines, are needed critically to control HSV infections and reduce the associated disease burden.
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Registered trials
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.