title: Seroprevalence of human herpes virus 8 antibody in populations at high or low risk of transfusion, graft, or sexual transmission of viruses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The routes of transmission of human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) remain unclear. In particular, HHV-8 transmission by blood components and organ transplantation is still debated and raises public health issues. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti-HHV-8 in selected populations of persons or patients with or without risk factors for the transmission of viral infections, in order to determine the routes of HHV-8 transmission.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1431 persons or patients at low or high risk of sexually, blood-, or graft-transmitted viral infections were tested by means of a standardized immunofluorescence serologic assay detecting anti-HHV-8.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The persons or patients could be classified into three distinct groups according to anti-HHV-8 prevalence: a low prevalence group (0.0% to 5.0%), including healthy blood donors, healthy pregnant women, multiply transfused patients with thalassemia major, and IV drug users; an intermediate prevalence group (5.0% to 20.0%), including organ donors, kidney transplant recipients, and multiply transfused patients with sickle cell disease; a high prevalence group (>20.0%), including HIV-negative persons at high risk of sexually-transmitted viral infections, and HIV-infected homosexual men and heterosexuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sexual route appears to be the main route of HHV-8 transmission; bloodborne transmission of HHV-8, if it exists, is rare. In contrast, organ transplantation recipients might be exposed to HHV-8 transmission by the transplanted organ, which raises the issue of systematic screening of organ donors.
authors.affiliation: Bacteriology and Virology Laboratory, Henri Mondor Hospital, Paris XII University, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Challine
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roudot-Thoraval
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sarah
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laperche
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boisson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mauberquez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dubernet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rigot
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lefrère
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mercier
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Brossard
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rouet
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Girot
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loiseau
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Claquin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Loty
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lerable
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mariotti
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pawlotsky
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lefrère
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014019:Tissue Donors
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral