adolescent seroprevalence has been declining as in most industrialized nations. an estimated 9.2% of israeli adults are infected with hsv-2. infection of either hsv-1 or hsv-2 is higher in females; hsv-2 seroprevalence reaches 20.5% in females in their 40s. these values are similar to levels in hsv infection in europe. antibodies for hsv-1 or hsv-2 are also more likely to be found individuals born outside of israel, and individuals residing in jerusalem and southern israel; people of jewish origin living in israel are less likely to possess antibodies against herpes. among pregnant women in israel a small scale cross sectional study found the prevalence of hsv-2 infection was 13.3% and that of hsv-1 was 94.9%. the hsv-2 infection rate was 3-fold higher among immigrants from the former soviet union (27.5%) than among israeli-born jewish and arab women (9%). approximately 78% of hsv-2 infections in israel are asymptomatic. hsv-1 causes 66.3% of genital herpes in the tel aviv area. syria— genital herpes infection from hsv-2 is predicted to be low in syria although hsv-1 levels are high. hsv-1 infections is common (95%) among healthy syrians over the age of 30, while hsv-2 prevalence is low in healthy individuals (0.15%), and persons infected with other sexually transmitted diseases (9.5%). high risk groups for acquiring hsv-2 in syria, include prostitutes and bar girls; they have 34% and 20% seroprevalence respectively. oceania in australia, a study using data from 1999 revealed the seroprevalence of hsv-1 was at 76.5%, with significant differences associated with age, gender and indigenous status, which were not specified. an estimated 12% of australian adults were seropositive for hsv-2, with higher prevalence in women (16%) than in men (8%). larger cities had higher hsv-2 seroprevalence (13%) than rural populations (9%). higher prevalence was found in indigenous australians (18%) than non-indigenous australians (12%). as in the u.s., hsv-1 is increasingly identified as the cause of genital herpes in australians; hsv-1 was identified in the anogenital area of only 3% of the population in 1980, but had risen to 41% in 2001. this was most common in females and persons under 25. the number of genital herpes infections appears to be rising in new zealand with three times more cases in 1993 compared to 1977. in this country, hsv-2 affects 60% more women than men of similar age.