Seroprevalence of human herpes virus 8 antibody in populations at high or low risk of transfusion, graft, or sexual transmission of viruses.
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.
Challine
D
D
Bacteriology and Virology Laboratory, Henri Mondor Hospital, Paris XII University, Créteil, France.
Roudot-Thoraval
F
F
Sarah
T
T
Laperche
L
L
Boisson
B
B
Mauberquez
S
S
Dubernet
F
F
Rigot
P
P
Lefrère
F
F
Mercier
B
B
Brossard
Y
Y
Rouet
F
F
Girot
R
R
Loiseau
P
P
Girard
D
D
Claquin
J
J
Loty
B
B
Lerable
J
J
Mariotti
M
M
Pawlotsky
J M
JM
Lefrère
J J
JJ
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
D000914:Antibodies, Viral