USPSTF Recommends Against Routine Screening for Genital Herpes

The USPSTF has recommended against routine genital herpes screening for asymptomatic adults and adolescents, a grade D recommendation affirming the group’s 2005 statement.

The update is based upon a review of available evidence on the accuracy, benefits, and harms of serologic screening for herpes infection in asymptomatic individuals, including pregnant women, and on the effectiveness and harms of preventive medications and behavioral counseling.
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The researchers noted that most cases of genital herpes in the US are caused by herpes simplex virus 2, and that new evidence suggests that the most widely used test for the virus is not suitable for population-based screening, due to its low specificity, lack of widely available confirmatory testing, and its high false-positive rate.

Based upon this evidence, the USPSTF concluded that the harms outweigh the benefits of serologic screening for genital herpes among asymptomatic individuals.

“The USPSTF concludes with moderate certainty that the harms outweigh the benefits for population-based screening for genital [herpes simplex virus] infection in asymptomatic adolescents and adults, including those who are pregnant.”

—Michael Potts

Reference:

USPSTF. Serologic screening for genital herpes infection: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2016;316(23):2525-2530.