title: Human herpesvirus type 8 in patients with cirrhosis: correlation with sex, alcoholism, hepatitis B virus, disease severity, and thrombocytopenia.
abstract: Immunologic abnormalities in patients with cirrhosis strongly correlate with severity of liver cirrhosis. The association between cirrhosis and human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) infection is unclear. Plasma samples were obtained from 74 healthy control subjects and 59 patients with cirrhosis. The seropositive rates for HHV-8 antibodies in patients with cirrhosis (25/59 [42%]) were significantly higher than that in healthy control subjects (18/74 [24%]; P = .027), particularly in men (P = .027), patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis (P = .032), and patients with thrombocytopenia (P = .019) or Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis (P = .018) or both (P = .015), or hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (P = .003). Antibody titers in seropositive patients also significantly exceeded those in healthy control subjects (P = .008). All subjects were negative for anti-HIV. In Taiwan, cirrhosis is associated with HHV-8 infection, particularly in men, patients with Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis and/or thrombocytopenia, and patients with alcohol- or HBV-related cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
authors.forename: An-Liang
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Wen-Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shih-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: Chi-Tsung
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cheng-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology