Evidence for concurrent epidemics of human herpesvirus 8 and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in US homosexual men: rates, risk factors, and relationship to Kaposi's sarcoma.
We examined human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) seroprevalence and seroincidence among 245 homosexual men from New York City (NYC) and Washington, DC (DC) who have been followed since 1982. An immunofluorescence assay measured antibodies to a latent HHV-8 nuclear antigen. Seroprevalence was 20.4% in 1982; seroincidence was approximately 15%/year during 1982-1983 but fell sharply thereafter. NYC men had a higher seroprevalence (odds ratio, 3.43; P<.001) and seroincidence (rate ratio, 2.13; P=.01) than DC men. Risk of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) was increased in seropositive men (adjusted relative hazard, 3.58; P=.02). Among men who were seropositive for both human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and HHV-8, the 10-year cumulative risk of KS was 39%; time from coinfection to KS diagnosis ranged from 15 to 154 months (median, 63.5 months). This study shows an epidemic of HHV-8 among US homosexual men in the early 1980s that was associated with a high risk of developing KS.
O'Brien
T R
TR
Viral Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, EPS 8016, Rockville, MD 20852, USA. obrient@exchange.nih.gov obrient@exchange.nih.gov
Kedes
D
D
Ganem
D
D
Macrae
D R
DR
Rosenberg
P S
PS
Molden
J
J
Goedert
J J
JJ
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015897:Comorbidity; D004219:District of Columbia; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D000914:Antibodies, Viral