title: Epidemiological characteristics of human herpesvirus-8 infection in a large population of antenatal women in Zambia.
abstract: Comprehensive data describing epidemiological characteristics of the human herpesvirus-8 or Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (HHV-8 or KSHV) infection among pregnant women in a central sub-Saharan Africa are not available. This study determined virus prevalence estimates and the risk factors associated with HHV-8 infection. Cross-sectional, enrollment visit data were analyzed from a prospective cohort study of perinatal transmission of HHV-8 in Lusaka, Zambia. Exposure data were obtained via structured interview, physical examination, medical chart review, and laboratory testing. Among 3,160 antenatal women serologically screened for HHV-8 between September 1998 and October 2000, 40.2% were seropositive. The HHV-8 positive women were more likely to be co-infected with HIV-1 than those who were HHV-8 negative (34% vs. 26%; P < 0.0001). Of 154 variables evaluated by logistic regression analyses, only three risk factors, have emerged as independent predictors of HHV-8 positive serology: diagnosis of genital warts, HIV-1 co-infection and primary education. The association of HHV-8 infection with genital warts and HIV-1 co-infection suggests heterosexual transmission of HHV-8. HIV-1 infection may also act as a marker for particular behaviors, which could be sexual in nature, that are associated with both HIV-1 and HHV-8 transmission. Since HHV-8 facilitates development of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), the results of this study could be utilized to identify specific population groups of pregnant women who are at increased risk for this disease.
authors.affiliation: Nebraska Center for Virology and the School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, 1901 Vine Street, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Klaskala
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Brayfield
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kankasa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015483:HIV Antibodies