Infection with human herpesvirus type 8 and kaposi's sarcoma in a central Italian area formerly endemic for malaria.
BACKGROUND
To estimate the prevalence of infection with human herpes virus type 8 (HHV8) and the incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma among HHV8-infected individuals, we conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study in Latina. This area of central Italy was formerly endemic for malaria and it is now covered by a population-based cancer registry.


METHODS
Residual sera samples from 200 persons (100 men and 100 women) aged 50 years or older, randomly selected from a larger population-based survey on cardiovascular diseases, were tested for antibodies against HHV8. HHV8 seroprevalence and yearly incidence rates of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) among HHV8-positive persons were computed.


RESULTS
HHV8 infection was not significantly higher in men (9.0%, 95% CI: 3.4-14.6) than in women (6.0%, 95% CI: 1.3-10.7). The estimated yearly incidence rate of KS among HHV-positive persons was twice as high in men (1 : 2200) as in women (1 : 4110).


CONCLUSIONS
These results were comparable to those derived from geographic areas at low risk for KS where malaria was not endemic (e. g. Malta). The seemingly higher incidence of KS among HHV8-positive men suggests that different cofactors for the two sexes are likely to play a role in KS etiology.
Serraino
D
D
Dept of Epidemiology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases L Spallanzani, IRCCS, via Portuense 292, I-00149 Rome, Italy. serraino@spallanzani.roma.it
Corona
R M
RM
Giuliani
M
M
Farchi
F
F
Sarmati
L
L
Uccella
I
I
Andreoni
M
M
Rezza
G
G
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology