Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection in HIV/AIDS patients from Santos, Brazil: seroprevalence and associated factors.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection among HIV-infected individuals from Brazil and the associated risk factors.


METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 497 HIV/AIDS outpatients attending the local AIDS Reference Center in Santos (southeastern Brazil) between February 1997 and January 1998 had serum samples screened for anti-HHV-8 antibodies. Patients were considered seropositive whenever reactivity was observed in at least 1 of 3 tests (immunofluorescence assays for latent nuclear and lytic antigens and orf65 recombinant antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).


RESULTS
Overall HHV-8 seroprevalence was 13.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.9-17.6). HHV-8 coinfection was significantly more frequent in men (18.7%; 95% CI, 14.1-23.4) than in women (7.8%; 95% CI, 4.2-11.3) (P < 0.001). According to the mode of HIV acquisition among males, seroprevalence of HHV-8 infection was significantly higher in men who have sex with men when compared with the other groups (32.4% vs. 10.0%, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression revealed HHV-8 infection among men to be independently associated with sexual orientation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 5.5 for homosexuals; AOR, 2.8 for bisexuals). No significant risk factor for HHV-8 infection could be demonstrated for HIV-infected women in this cohort,


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides further evidence that men who have sex with men are at higher risk of HHV-8 infection and shows that the epidemiologic pattern of this infection among HIV/AIDS patients from Santos, Brazil, is similar to that described in other countries with a low incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma.
Pierrotti
Lígia Camera
LC
Laboratory of Virology (LIM-52)-Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine and Tropical Medicine Institute (IMT), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. pierrot@usp.br
Etzel
Arnaldo
A
Sumita
Laura Masami
LM
Braga
Patrícia Emilia
PE
Eluf-Neto
José
J
de Souza
Vanda Akico Ueda Fick
VA
Segurado
Aluísio A Cotrim
AA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral