title: Does HHV-8 have a protective role on the development of HIV encephalopathy? Italian HIV-Seroconversion Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate risk factors for HIV encephalopathy and whether Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and coinfection with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) protect against this disease in a cohort of HIV seroconverters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals with known dates of HIV seroconversion belonging to different HIV exposure categories (intravenous drug users, homosexual men, heterosexual contacts) were recruited by 17 clinical centers throughout Italy. Antibodies to HHV-8 lytic antigens were detected in a subgroup of participants using an immunofluorescence assay. Risk factors for HIV encephalopathy were evaluated using Cox proportional models. The association between KS or HHV-8 infection and HIV encephalopathy was evaluated using standard statistical techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 485 of the 1,520 participants developed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, 38 of whom developed HIV encephalopathy. HHV-8 serologic status was determined for 390 participants. Male gender, injecting drug use, and low CD4 T-cell count were associated with HIV encephalopathy; none of the 63 participants with KS developed this disease. The risk of HIV encephalopathy did not differ significantly by HHV-8 serologic status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV encephalopathy was found to be associated with male gender and intravenous drug use. The risk increased at lower CD4 T-cell counts. Although HIV encephalopathy occurred less frequently in patients with KS, no association with HHV-8 infection was found.
authors.affiliation: AIDS & STD Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. g.rezza@iss.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rezza
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dorrucci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andreoni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arpino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nicastri
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Alliegro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pezzotti
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ensoli
mesh_terms: D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral