Quantitation of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) antibody in patients transfused with HHV-8-seropositive blood.
BACKGROUND
Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is endemic in Uganda where seroprevalence is approximately 40%. In a previous study, Ugandan patients receiving blood transfusions had multiple serum specimens collected for 6 months after transfusion to monitor for HHV-8 infection. It was observed that several HHV-8-seronegative patients were unexpectedly HHV-8 seropositive after blood transfusion.


METHODS
This study measured HHV-8 antibody in serially collected serum specimens from 542 patients who received transfusions and evaluated the risk of HHV-8 infection as a function of HHV-8 antibody levels in the donors.


RESULTS
HHV-8 antibody was observed in 52% of patients transfused with HHV-8-seropositive blood in amounts that corresponded with their donor's antibody titer and waned within 40 days. Higher levels of passive HHV-8 antibody in patients who received transfusions appeared to be associated with a lower risk of HHV-8 infection.


CONCLUSIONS
The source of transient antibody in patients who received transfusions was determined to be the transfused blood. Donors with higher HHV-8 antibody titers may have been less likely to have infectious virus in the blood.
Fowlkes
Ashley L
AL
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
Brown
Cedric
C
Amin
Minal M
MM
Roback
John D
JD
Downing
Robert
R
Nzaro
Esau
E
Mermin
Jonathan
J
Hladik
Wolfgang
W
Dollard
Sheila C
SC
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D014454:Uganda
D000914:Antibodies, Viral