Human herpesvirus 8 infection within families in rural Tanzania.
Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection is common in Africa. We examined the distribution of HHV-8 within families in rural Tanzania to determine routes of spread. HHV-8 infection was assessed by measuring antibody reactivity with a K8.1 (lytic-phase antigen) immunoassay. The prevalence increased from 3.7% (1/27) among infants to 58.1% (36/62) among children aged 3-4 years and 89.0% (65/73) among adults aged > or =45 years. Women with HHV-8-seropositive husbands had a 7-fold risk for infection (odds ratio [OR], 6.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9-25.3). HHV-8 seropositivity in children was associated with having at least 1 seropositive first-degree relative (OR, 14.7; 95% CI, 5.9-43.1), a seropositive mother (OR, 7.4; 95% CI, 3.2-16.8), a seropositive father (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 2.3-10.1), or a seropositive next-older sibling (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.9-9.4). Our data are consistent with the occurrence of HHV-8 transmission within families, from mothers and other relatives to children via nonsexual routes and between spouses via sexual routes.
Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20852, USA. mbulaits@mail.nih.gov
Sam M
SM
Mbulaiteye
Ruth M
RM
Pfeiffer
Denise
D
Whitby
Glen R
GR
Brubaker
John
J
Shao
Robert J
RJ
Biggar
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral