Detection of human herpesvirus 8 in cervicovaginal secretions and seroprevalence in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-seropositive and -seronegative women.
Epidemiologic studies suggest that human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) may be sexually transmitted. To study the potential for HHV-8 transmission through cervicovaginal (CV) secretions, the presence of HHV-8 DNA was investigated by nested polymerase chain reaction in the cellular fraction of CV secretions from 36 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-seropositive and 29 HIV-1-seronegative women. The same patients were tested for antibodies to two defined HHV-8 antigens (latency-associated nuclear antigen and open-reading frame 65-encoded structural protein) and for HHV-8 DNA in their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The findings were compared with the rate of HHV-8 detection in semen samples of 20 HIV-1-infected men. HHV-8 DNA was detected in the CV samples from only 1 HHV-8-seropositive AIDS patient, in 3 PBMC samples (1/29 HIV-1-seronegative patients, 1/3 AIDS patients with Kaposi's sarcoma, and 1/19 AIDS patients), and in 1 of 20 semen samples. HHV-8 infection was more common in HIV-1-infected than uninfected women. Thus HHV-8 DNA is only rarely detectable in CV secretions and semen of HHV-8-infected individuals.
Calabrò
M L
ML
Department of Oncology and Surgical Sciences, Oncology Section, University of Padova, I-35128 Padova, Italy. lcalabro@ux1.unipd.it
Fiore
J R
JR
Favero
A
A
Lepera
A
A
Saracino
A
A
Angarano
G
G
Schulz
T F
TF
Chieco-Bianchi
L
L
D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000821:virology; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000821:virology*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000821:virology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014621:Vagina / Q000821:virology