{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,15]],"date-time":"2026-09-15T00:52:50Z","timestamp":1789433570024,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,30]],"date-time":"2025-10-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1761782400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>HSV-1 is associated with oral lesions and non-sexual transmission; HSV-2 is primarily transmitted through sexual contact and causes genital infections. Understanding the epidemiological dynamics of both viruses is essential for guiding targeted public-health responses. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 177,599 clinical specimens collected between September 2018 and December 2022 from patients with symptoms suggestive of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at healthcare institutions across South Korea. HSV-1 and HSV-2 were identified using a real-time PCR assay; positivity rates were stratified by age, sex, specimen type, and year of testing. The overall positivity rate was 0.26% for HSV-1 and 1.60% for HSV-2. HSV-1 was most prevalent among individuals aged &lt;19 years; HSV-2 showed the highest positivity in females aged 20\u201329 years, declining with age thereafter. HSV-2 positivity was significantly higher in females than in males. A significant decline in HSV-2 positivity was observed over the 5-year study period, while HSV-1 positivity remained stable. This nationwide PCR-based study reveals distinct age- and sex-related epidemiological patterns of HSV-1 and HSV-2. The findings support the need for age-specific and gender-specific STI screening strategies and health education programs. The declining trend in HSV-2 infection may reflect the impact of recent public-health initiatives.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens14111107","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,31]],"date-time":"2025-10-31T01:23:59Z","timestamp":1761873839000},"page":"1107","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Epidemiological Characteristics of HSV-1 and HSV-2 in 177,599 Patients Based on PCR Testing in South Korea (2018\u20132022)"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Hyeong Ho","family":"Kim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-0934-8445","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sung Hun","family":"Jang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laser, Graduate School of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-7003-8422","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jeong Su","family":"Han","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8981-5705","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jae-Sik","family":"Jeon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1534-563X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jae Kyung","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Dankook University, Cheonan-si 31116, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S3","DOI":"10.1086\/343739","article-title":"Age-specific prevalence of infection with herpes simplex virus types 2 and 1: A global review","volume":"186","author":"Smith","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. 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