Detection of human herpesvirus 8 DNA in serum from blood donors with HHV-8 antibodies indicates possible bloodborne virus transmission.
Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is associated with Kaposi's sarcoma. There is a high seroprevalence of HHV-8 in several African countries, but the transmission route is not known definitively. In this study 174 serum samples from blood donors in Tanzania were examined by immunofluorescence assays detecting antibodies to latent and lytic HHV-8 antigens. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for detection and quantification of HHV-8 DNA in serum. In all, 83/174 (48%) of the subjects had antibodies to latent or lytic antigens. Forty (23%) had antibodies to both antigens and of those eight (20%) had detectable HHV-8 DNA in serum. HHV-8 DNA load correlated with antibody titres to lytic, but not latent, HHV-8 antigens. This supports the usefulness of anti-lytic antibodies in HHV-8 serology and suggests that transmission of HHV-8 by blood contact could be of importance in this region.
Enbom
Malin
M
Department of Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control and Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institute, Sweden. malin.enbom@ltjkpg.se
Urassa
Willy
W
Massambu
Charles
C
Thorstensson
Rigmor
R
Mhalu
Fred
F
Linde
Annika
A
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral