Human herpesvirus 8 seroprevalence in an STD clinic in Paris: a study of 512 patients.
BACKGROUND
Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is thought to be possibly sexually transmitted in some populations, but few data are available on this mode of transmission. GOAL The goal was to study HHV-8 seroprevalence in patients attending a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic and to search for predictive factors of HHV-8 seropositivity.


METHODS
Five hundred twelve consecutive patients attending the STD clinic of Hôpital Saint-Louis (Paris) were tested for HHV-8 antibodies (immunofluorescence assay using two cell lines, BCP-1 and ISI n. butyrate [3 mmol/l]). A standardized questionnaire was used to obtain demographic, behavioral, and clinical data. Predictive factors of HHV-8 seropositivity were considered in univariate and multivariate analysis with use of logistic regression models.


RESULTS
In testing of the patients for HHV-8 antibodies, 67/512 (13.1%) tested positive: 53/346 (15.3%) of men and 14/166 (8.4%) of women ( = 0.03). The predictive factors of HHV-8 seropositivity for men were the country of origin (Central Africa, odds ratio [OR]: 7.5; North Africa, OR: 5.5), homosexuality (OR: 3.7), and visiting prostitutes (OR: 7.1). For women they were country of origin (Central Africa, OR: 8.3) and presence of HSV-2 antibodies (OR: 6.5, tendency).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study does not show clear relationships between HHV-8 seropositivity and sexual behavior, apart from homosexuality, but visiting prostitutes (for men) and HSV-2 seropositivity (for women) could be subtle clues supporting the hypothesis of heterosexual transmission.
Janier
Michel
M
STD Clinic, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France. centre.mst@jupiter.chu-stlouis.fr
Agbalika
Félix
F
de La Salmonière
Pauline
P
Lassau
François
F
Lagrange
Philippe
P
Morel
Patrice
P
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010297:Paris / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral