Table 1 Socio-demographic, behavioural and biological data associated with Herpes Simplex Virus type −2 (HSV-2) in women that presented for screening

Age groups

   <25

1430 (41%)

1

1

   25-34

1275 (37%)

2.37 (2.00,2.81)

<0.001

1.82 (1.49,2.22)

<0.001

   35+

767 (22%)

3.18 (2.55,3.95)

<0.001

3.49 (2.71,4.49)

<0.001

Language spoken

   English/other

191 (6%)

1

   Zulu

3281 (94%)

5.47 (4.01,7.43)

<0.001

-

Level of education

   At least high school

904 (26%)

1

1

   Less than high school

2568 (74%)

1.68 (1.43,1.98)

<0.001

1.26 (1.03,1.53)

0.021

Religion

   Other

325 (9%

1

   Christian

3147 (91%)

1.72 (1.36,2.18)

<0.001

-

Age at sexual debut

   >16 years

2073 (60%)

1

   16 years or younger

1399 (40%)

1.40 (1.19,1.63)

<0.001

-

Marital/cohabitation status

   Married/cohabitating

528 (15%)

1

   Not married/not cohabitating

2944(85%)

1.54 (1.25,1.89)

<0.001

-

Number of life time sexual partners

   1

854 (25%)

1

1

   2

978 (28%)

2.53 (2.10,3.10)

<0.001

1.89 (1.52,2.34)

<0.001

   3

731 (21%)

3.84 (3.10,4.82)

<0.001

2.30 (1.78,2.96)

<0.001

   4 +

906 (26%)

5.43 (4.33,6.82)

<0.001

2.48 (1.92,3.20)

<0.001

Condom used (ever)

   Yes

2438 (71%)

1

   No

1034 (29%)

1.03 (0.88,1.22)

0.689

-

Parity

   None

512 (15%)

1

1

   >1

2960 (85%)

2.31 (1.90,2.80)

<0.001

1.95 (1.54,2.48)

<0.001

Contraceptive use (any)

   Yes

2692 (78%)

1

   No

780 (22%)

1.40 (1.26,1.68)

0.001

-

HIV status at the screening

   seronegative

2041 (59%)

1

1

<0.001

   seropositive

1431 (41%)

7.38 (6.01,9.10)

<0.001

6.31 (5.06,7.88)

Trichomonas vaginalis infection at the screening

   Negative

3242 (94%)

1

   Positive

216 (6%)

1.04 (0.76,1.43)

0.786

-

Chlamydia trachomatis infection at the screening

   Negative

3149 (91%)

1

   Positive

309 (9%)

1.00 (0.77,1.30)

0.999

-

Neisseria gonorrhoea infection at the screening

   Negative

3375 (97%)

1

   Positive

97 (3%)

2.28 (1.29,4.05)

0.005

-

Genital signs and symptoms ¹

   Genital epithelial disruption

1

   No

3403 (98%)

1

-

   Yes

69 (2%)

1.48 (0.62,3.52)

0.372

Genital signs

   No

2986 (86%)

1

-

   Yes

486 (14%)

0.98 (0.69,1.39)

0.895

Genital discharge

1

   No

2500 (72%)

1

-

   Yes

972 (28%)

0.94 (0.72,1.22)

0.628

Genital ulcer

   No

3264 (94%)

1

-

   Yes

208 (6%)

3.16 (1.73,5.74)

<0.001

Bacterial Vaginosis infection

   No

3160 (91%)

1

-

   Yes

312 (9%)

1.32 (0.89,1.96)

0.162