Association between human herpes simplex virus and periodontitis: results from the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009–2014

Background Periodontitis is a common chronic oral disease which seriously affects people's quality of life. Although human herpes simplex virus (HSV) is also found in periodontal lesions, the association between HSV infection and periodontitis is unclear. Methods The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data for 2009–2010, 2011–2012 and 2013–2014 was combined, and the association between HSV infection and periodontitis in the general population and particular subgroups was investigated through weighted multi-logistic analyses. Results There were 4,733 participants aged 30–50 years old with clinically assessed periodontitis concurrent with HSV infection. In general analysis, after adjusted for covariates, both HSV-1 (OR = 1.09, P < 0.001) and HSV-2 (OR = 1.06, P = 0.030) infection was significantly associated with periodontitis. In subgroup analyses, compared with patients without HSV infection, patients with HSV-1( +) & HSV-2( +) and HSV-1( +) & HSV-2(-) infection showed higher risk of periodontitis in all subgroups (OR = 1.15, OR = 1.09, P < 0.001), while patients with HSV-1(-) & HSV-2( +) infection showed higher risk of and periodontitis only in the subgroup of people aged 40–50 years (OR = 1.10, P = 0.032) and the Mexican–American subgroup (OR = 1.35, P = 0.042). When only severe periodontitis is considered, HSV infection was associated with periodontitis, no matter the patient was infected with either of the virus or both. Conclusions HSV-1 infection was significantly associated with periodontitis and severe periodontitis, while HSV-2 infection was associated with severe periodontitis, and periodontitis in 40–50-year-olds and Mexican-Americans.