BACKGROUND: As part of assessing the possibility of transfusion transmission of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8 or Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus), HHV-8 seroprevalence was estimated among US blood donors, the performance of HHV-8 serologic tests was compared, and the presence of HHV-8 DNA was tested for in donated blood. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Replicate panels of 1040 plasma specimens prepared from 1000 US blood donors (collected in 1994 and 1995) and 21 Kaposi's sarcoma patients were tested for antibodies to HHV-8 in six laboratories. HHV-8 PCR was performed on blood samples from 138 donors, including all 33 who tested seropositive in at least two laboratories and 22 who tested positive in at least one. RESULTS: The estimated HHV-8 seroprevalence among US blood donors was 3.5 percent (95% CI, 1.2%-9.8%) by a conditional dependence latent-class model, 3.0 percent (95% CI, 2.0%-4.6%) by a conditional independence latent-class model, and 3.3 percent (95% CI, 2.3%-4.6%) by use of a consensus-derived gold standard (specimens positive in two or more laboratories); the conditional dependence model best fit the data. In this model, laboratory specificities ranged from 96.6 to 100 percent. Sensitivities ranged widely, but with overlapping 95 percent CIs. HHV-8 DNA was detected in blood from none of 138 donors evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Medical and behavioral screening does not eliminate HHV-8-seropositive persons from the US blood donor pool, but no viral DNA was found in donor blood. Further studies of much larger numbers of seropositive individuals will be required to more completely assess the rate of viremia and possibility of HHV-8 transfusion transmission. Current data do not indicate a need to screen US blood donors for HHV-8.
BACKGROUND: As part of assessing the possibility of transfusion transmission of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8 or Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus), HHV-8 seroprevalence was estimated among US blood donors, the performance of HHV-8 serologic tests was compared, and the presence of HHV-8 DNA was tested for in donated blood. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Replicate panels of 1040 plasma specimens prepared from 1000 US blood donors (collected in 1994 and 1995) and 21 Kaposi's sarcomapatients were tested for antibodies to HHV-8 in six laboratories. HHV-8 PCR was performed on blood samples from 138 donors, including all 33 who tested seropositive in at least two laboratories and 22 who tested positive in at least one. RESULTS: The estimated HHV-8 seroprevalence among US blood donors was 3.5 percent (95% CI, 1.2%-9.8%) by a conditional dependence latent-class model, 3.0 percent (95% CI, 2.0%-4.6%) by a conditional independence latent-class model, and 3.3 percent (95% CI, 2.3%-4.6%) by use of a consensus-derived gold standard (specimens positive in two or more laboratories); the conditional dependence model best fit the data. In this model, laboratory specificities ranged from 96.6 to 100 percent. Sensitivities ranged widely, but with overlapping 95 percent CIs. HHV-8 DNA was detected in blood from none of 138 donors evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Medical and behavioral screening does not eliminate HHV-8-seropositive persons from the US blood donor pool, but no viral DNA was found in donor blood. Further studies of much larger numbers of seropositive individuals will be required to more completely assess the rate of viremia and possibility of HHV-8 transfusion transmission. Current data do not indicate a need to screen US blood donors for HHV-8.
Authors: Maria Claudia Nascimento; Vanda Akico de Souza; Laura Masami Sumita; Wilton Freire; Fernando Munoz; Joseph Kim; Claudio S Pannuti; Philippe Mayaud Journal: J Clin Microbiol Date: 2006-12-20 Impact factor: 5.948
Authors: Chun Chao; Lisa P Jacobson; Frank J Jenkins; Donald Tashkin; Otoniel Martínez-Maza; Michael D Roth; Leslie Ng; Joseph B Margolick; Joan S Chmiel; Zuo-Feng Zhang; Roger Detels Journal: AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses Date: 2009-02 Impact factor: 2.205
Authors: Patrick Unemori; Kieron S Leslie; Peter W Hunt; Elizabeth Sinclair; Lorrie Epling; Ronald Mitsuyasu; Rita B Effros; Jeffrey Dock; Sheila G Dollard; Steven G Deeks; Jeffrey N Martin; Toby A Maurer Journal: AIDS Date: 2013-07-17 Impact factor: 4.177
Authors: Georgina L Mbisa; Wendell Miley; Christine J Gamache; William K Gillette; Dominic Esposito; Ralph Hopkins; Michael P Busch; George B Schreiber; Richard F Little; Robert Yarchoan; Betty A Ortiz-Conde; Nazzarena Labò; Denise Whitby Journal: J Immunol Methods Date: 2010-03-04 Impact factor: 2.303
Authors: Mirta C Remesar; Cecilia Gamba; Ivana F Colaianni; Mónica Puppo; Paula A Sartor; Edward L Murphy; Torsten B Neilands; María A Ridolfi; M Susana Leguizamón; Silvina Kuperman; Ana E Del Pozo Journal: Transfusion Date: 2009-11 Impact factor: 3.157
Authors: Elisa Martró; Michael J Cannon; Sheila C Dollard; Thomas J Spira; A Scott Laney; Chin-Yih Ou; Philip E Pellett Journal: J Virol Date: 2004-11 Impact factor: 5.103