ArticleJournal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD2025
Increased risk of dementia associated with herpes simplex virus infections: Evidence from a retrospective cohort study using U.S. electronic health records.
Article in Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Sero-epidemiological studies of pathogen burden: A scoping review.Wellcome open research · 2026Pooled it
- Herpes simplex virus 2 and dementia risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in dementia · 2026Pooled it
- Herpesviruses, antiviral treatment, and the risk of dementia - systematic review and meta-analysis.Alzheimer's research & therapy · 2025Pooled it
- Cancer and dementia incidence are strongly correlated worldwide: evidence from cross-national regression analyses.Future science OA · 2026Article
- Herpes simplex virus pUL56 abolishes neuronal activity by removing voltage-gated ion channels from the plasma membrane.Science advances · 2026Article
- Long-term risk of dementia following encephalitis: a large-scale retrospective cohort study of electronic health records.Journal of neurology · 2026Article
- HSV-1 reactivation as an emergent property of neuronal stress: implications for traumatic brain injury.Journal of neuroinflammation · 2026Review
- Recent Insights into the Role of Herpesviridae in Alzheimer's Disease: A Structured Narrative Review Based on a Systematic Literature Search.Neurology international · 2026Review
- Immunization with Herpes Simplex Virus Nanoparticles Targeting Both Attachment and Fusion Protect Against Infection.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Article
- Optimization of lytic herpes simplex virus infection in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cortical neurones.The Journal of general virology · 2026Article
- Unmasking the hidden catalyst: How infections trigger Alzheimer's disease.Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2026Review
- Marine Derived Natural Products: Emerging Therapeutics Against Herpes Simplex Virus Infection.Biomolecules · 2026Review
- HSV-1 as a Potential Driver of Alzheimer's Disease.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAlzheimer's disease is the most common age-related dementia. Recent compelling evidence from previous retrospective electronic health record (EHRs) studies suggests that herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections may be a risk factor for developing dementia. However, no age and propensity score matched studies have been published in a United States general population cohort study to date.
objectiveWe aimed to identify whether HSV infection shows a significantly increased risk of the development of dementia in a sizable and heterogeneous cohort. We investigated whether herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2), or coinfections with both serotypes pose a greater risk of developing dementia across different biological sexes and racial groups.
methodsEHRs from patients with a history of HSV or specific serotypes (HSV1 or HSV2) infection were selected for analysis. These records were compared to a propensity-matched control group and analyzed for hazard and odds ratios through TriNetX.
resultsThere was a significant difference in dementia incidence in the HSV-infected group versus the control. Individuals with a history of HSV, HSV1, HSV2, and coinfection all showed a significant risk of developing dementia compared to controls. Males with HSV2 are at a higher risk of dementia outcome than females with HSV2.
conclusionsWhile consistent with previous reports, these findings are the first to establish a higher risk of developing dementia in patients who have any HSV diagnosis using a nationwide, population-based matched cohort study in the United States.
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