Possible transmission of human herpesvirus-8 by blood transfusion in a historical United States cohort.
BACKGROUND
Transmission of human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) by blood transfusion in the United States appears plausible but has not been demonstrated. The objective of this study was to evaluate evidence of HHV-8 transmission via blood transfusion.


METHODS
Serum specimens were collected before and 6 months after surgery from 406 patients who enrolled in the Frequency of Agents Communicable by Transfusion study (FACTS) in Baltimore, Maryland, from 1986 to 1990. The change in HHV-8 serostatus was measured by a lytic-antigen immunofluorescence assay.


RESULTS
Of the 284 patients who were initially HHV-8-seronegative and who received transfusions, 2 seroconverted, 1 with a postsurgery antibody titer of 1:160 and the other with a titer of 1:1280. These patients received 12 and 13 units of blood, respectively. None of the HHV-8-seronegative patients who did not receive transfusions seroconverted. If seroconversion was caused by transfused blood, the transmission risk per transfused component was 0.082 percent.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first report suggesting transmission of HHV-8 via blood components in the United States. Because linked donor specimens were not available, other routes of transmission cannot be excluded; however, the evidence is consistent with infection being caused by transfusion. Future studies should include contemporary US populations with linked donor specimens and populations at higher risk for HHV-8 infection.
Dollard
Sheila C
SC
National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. sgd5@cdc.gov
Nelson
Kenrad E
KE
Ness
Paul M
PM
Stambolis
Veronica
V
Kuehnert
Matthew J
MJ
Pellett
Philip E
PE
Cannon
Michael J
MJ
D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; 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