Seroprevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8 in several regions of Italy.
OBJECTIVE
To study the seroprevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus type 8 (KSHV/HHV-8) in 779 Italian blood donors.


METHODS
Sera were tested for antibodies to a latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) and a capsid related protein encoded by ORF65.


RESULTS
Among all Italian donors, 17.7% and 18.7% had antibodies to LANA and ORF65 protein, respectively, and 24.1% had antibodies to at least one antigen. KSHV/HHV-8 seroprevalence was higher in the Po valley and in Sardinia than close to the sub-Alpine Veneto region, Tuscany, or Apulia. KSHV/HHV-8 seroprevalence was almost equally distributed between men and women but increased in the older age groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The regional differences and age distribution in seroprevalence agree partially with the incidence of classic KS in Italy. The rarity of classic KS in KSHV/HHV-8-infected subjects and the equal gender distribution of seroprevalence suggest that other cofactors may contribute to KS development in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-uninfected individuals.
Calabrò
M L
ML
Department of Oncology and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Italy. lcalabro@ux1.unipd.it
Sheldon
J
J
Favero
A
A
Simpson
G R
GR
Fiore
J R
JR
Gomes
E
E
Angarano
G
G
Chieco-Bianchi
L
L
Schulz
T F
TF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001782:Blood Donors; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C109540:latency-associated nuclear antigen