Infection with human herpes virus type 8 in an area at high prevalence for hepatitis C virus infection in southern Italy.
The Campania Region is a geographical area of southern Italy characterized by high incidence rates of hepatocellular carcinoma and of classic Kaposi's sarcoma. Epidemiological investigations carried out among different population groups in this region have found high prevalence rates of both hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8). To assess co-infection rates of HCV and HHV-8, we carried out a cross-sectional seroepidemiological study prevalence in Pomigliano d'Arco, a Health District of Campania located 20 km away from Naples. The overall rate of HCV/HHV-8 co-infection was 3.1%, 3.5% among men and 2.7% among women. No difference emerged in the HCV/HHV-8 co-infection rates according to seropositivity for HCV infection, either overall (Mantel Haenszel odds ratio = 1.2, 95% CI: 0.6-2.6) or when the analysis was stratified by gender. These findings support the hypothesis that in Campania common routes of transmission are rarely shared by HCV and HHV-8 infections. Local factors may result in different epidemiological patterns for these two viral infections. However, our findings have important public health implications, especially in Mediterranean countries where HCV and HHV-8 infections are endemic.
Montella
M
M
Servizio di Epidemiologia, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Fondazione G. Pascale, Rome, Italy. epidemiologia.int@tin.it
Serraino
D
D
Crispo
A
A
Romano
N
N
Fusco
M
M
Goedert
J J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies