BACKGROUND: Much of the evidence that human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) is associated with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) has come from molecular studies of HHV-8 DNA. Seroepidemiological studies have been hampered by the lack of a reliable assay. METHODS: The serological data reported here were obtained by means of a mouse monoclonal antibody-enhanced immunofluorescence assay for antibodies to lytic and latent HHV-8 antigens. 1435 single samples of serum (or plasma) from many different disease groups and parts of the world were assayed. FINDINGS: All patients with African endemic KS and 96% of American patients with AIDS-associated KS were seropositive for lytic antigen, as were 90% of American HIV-infected homosexual men; by contrast only 23% of HIV-seropositive drug users and 21% of HIV-seropositive women were positive for HHV-8 antibody. Factor VIII treatment before 1983 did not increase the risk of HHV-8 infection in patients with haemophilia. In the American general population, about 25% of adults (including volunteer blood donors) and 2-8% of children had antibodies to HHV-8. INTERPRETATION: Our data are consistent with HHV-8 being primarily associated with sexual transmission, but the HHV-8 seropositivity rate in American children suggests that there is a non-sexual route of HHV-8 infection also. On the evidence available so far, the risk of parenteral transmission is low.
BACKGROUND: Much of the evidence that humanherpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) is associated with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) has come from molecular studies of HHV-8 DNA. Seroepidemiological studies have been hampered by the lack of a reliable assay. METHODS: The serological data reported here were obtained by means of a mouse monoclonal antibody-enhanced immunofluorescence assay for antibodies to lytic and latent HHV-8 antigens. 1435 single samples of serum (or plasma) from many different disease groups and parts of the world were assayed. FINDINGS: All patients with African endemic KS and 96% of American patients with AIDS-associated KS were seropositive for lytic antigen, as were 90% of American HIV-infected homosexual men; by contrast only 23% of HIV-seropositive drug users and 21% of HIV-seropositivewomen were positive for HHV-8 antibody. Factor VIII treatment before 1983 did not increase the risk of HHV-8 infection in patients with haemophilia. In the American general population, about 25% of adults (including volunteer blood donors) and 2-8% of children had antibodies to HHV-8. INTERPRETATION: Our data are consistent with HHV-8 being primarily associated with sexual transmission, but the HHV-8 seropositivity rate in American children suggests that there is a non-sexual route of HHV-8 infection also. On the evidence available so far, the risk of parenteral transmission is low.
Authors: L Rainbow; G M Platt; G R Simpson; R Sarid; S J Gao; H Stoiber; C S Herrington; P S Moore; T F Schulz Journal: J Virol Date: 1997-08 Impact factor: 5.103
Authors: T J Spira; L Lam; S C Dollard; Y X Meng; C P Pau; J B Black; D Burns; B Cooper; M Hamid; J Huong; K Kite-Powell; P E Pellett Journal: J Clin Microbiol Date: 2000-06 Impact factor: 5.948
Authors: J N Martin; Z Amad; C Cossen; P K Lam; D H Kedes; K A Page-Shafer; D H Osmond; B Forghani Journal: J Clin Microbiol Date: 2000-02 Impact factor: 5.948
Authors: Phillipo L Chalya; Fidelis Mbunda; Peter F Rambau; Hyasinta Jaka; Nestory Masalu; Mariam Mirambo; Martha F Mushi; Samuel E Kalluvya Journal: BMC Res Notes Date: 2015-09-15
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