The prevalence of serum antibody to human herpesvirus 8 (Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus) among HIV-seropositive and high-risk HIV-seronegative women.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) seropositivity among women who are known to be infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) or who are at high risk for HIV infection.


METHODS
A cross-sectional and blinded study of the prevalence of serological reactivity to HHV-8 infection as determined by an indirect immunofluorescence assay using nuclei from cells latently infected with HHV-8. Data and specimens were collected at baseline assessments of a longitudinal natural history cohort study.


METHODS
Four San Francisco Bay Area outpatient HIV specialty clinics participating in the cohort study.


METHODS
A total of 387 participants in the Women's Interagency HIV Study whose HIV infection status was documented and serum was available in a local specimen repository.


METHODS
Serological reactivity to HHV-8.


RESULTS
Serological reactivity to latent HHV-8 antigens was uncommon among study participants: 13 (3.4%) demonstrated serum antibodies. HHV-8 reactivity was more common among HIV-infected women; 12 (4.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1%-6.9%) of the 302 HIV-infected participants vs 1 (1.2%; 95% CI, 0.03%-6.4%) of the 84 HIV-uninfected participants were seropositive for HHV-8, though the difference did not attain statistical significance (odds ratio=3.43; 95% CI, 0.49-148.6). Two of the HIV-infected women had Kaposi sarcoma lesions and both were seropositive.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of HHV-8 seropositivity among the group of HIV-infected women was dramatically lower than that recently reported among HIV-infected homosexual and bisexual men (30%-35%). This finding parallels the lower prevalence of Kaposi sarcoma among women in contrast to men with HIV infection. These data further extend the correlation of HHV-8 serological reactivity with risk of Kaposi sarcoma and are consistent with an important role for HHV-8 infection in development of Kaposi sarcoma.
Kedes
D H
DH
Department of Microbiology, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA.
Ganem
D
D
Ameli
N
N
Bacchetti
P
P
Greenblatt
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002460:Cell Line; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D018023:HIV Seronegativity / Q000276:immunology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors
D000914:Antibodies, Viral