Seroprevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus in healthy adults in Israel.
To determine if Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) prevalence is correlated with the 9-fold difference in the incidence of classic Kaposi's sarcoma observed among Israeli Jewish populations, we conducted a cross-sectional KSHV seroprevalence survey in a population of 166 HIV-seronegative healthy subjects from the general population (26 women, 140 men). Eight individuals (4.8%) (all men) were seropositive for KSHV; differences between men and women were not statistically significant. If we consider the sensitivity and specificity of the assays, the corrected prevalence would be 6.1% (95% confidence interval 2.0-10.1). We noticed a non-statistically 5.5-fold difference between individuals above and below 40 years of age, but did not find an association with the incidence of classic KS among the Israeli Jewish sub-population, according to their origin. This suggests that KSHV is only necessary, albeit not sufficient, cause of classic Kaposi's sarcoma.
International Fertility Institute, Ra'anana, Israel. iscovich@netvision.net.il
J
J
Iscovich
A
A
Fischbein
J
J
Fisher-Fischbein
L S
LS
Freedman
S M
SM
Eng
P
P
Boffetta
A
A
Vudovich
C
C
Glasman
R
R
Goldschmidt
M
M
Livingston
B
B
Heger-Maslansky
P
P
Brennan
P S
PS
Moore
D000328:Adult; D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000208:ethnology; D000368:Aged; D000569:Americas / Q000208:ethnology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005060:Europe / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D007585:Jews; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C109540:latency-associated nuclear antigen