Human herpesvirus-8 infection among heterosexual partners of patients with classical Kaposi's sarcoma.
BACKGROUND
DNA sequences of human herpesvirus-8 (HHV8) are found in lesions of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS).


OBJECTIVE
To verify the hypothesis of the sexual transmission of HHV8 infection.


METHODS
We used the immunoperoxidase assay to study the prevalence of serum antibodies to HHV8-related antigens in 27 consorts of patients with classical KS, and in a control group of 25 healthy women.


RESULTS
Forty-four per cent of the study group were positive, compared with 8% of the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The sexual route may be one of the possible ways of transmission of the HHV8 virus.
Brambilla
L
L
Istituto di Dermatologia, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore, Via Pace 9, 20122 Milan, Italy.
Boneschi
V
V
Ferrucci
S
S
Taglioni
M
M
Berti
E
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology; D020010:Heterosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000821:virology; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000635:transmission*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral