Human herpesvirus type 8 in patients with cirrhosis independent of thrombocytopenia.
BACKGROUND
High seroprevalence of human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) in patients with cirrhosis has been reported to be associated with thrombocytopenia. Severe cirrhosis is always complicated with ascites. HHV-8 DNA levels in effusion from patients with primary effusion lymphoma has been reported to be significantly greater than in blood. The status of HHV-8 antibody and DNA in cirrhotic ascites is unclear.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the status of HHV-8 antibody and DNA in cirrhotic ascites compared to that in cirrhotic plasma.


METHODS
Plasma and ascites samples were collected from 85 patients with cirrhosis. HHV-8 antibody and DNA were detected by immunofluorescence assay and PCR, respectively.


RESULTS
Male patients seropositive for HHV-8 antibody were significantly younger than seropositive female patients (p=0.0039). The seropositive rate in patients with cirrhosis was not associated with thrombocytopenia (p=0.6860). Both positive rate and titres of antibody in plasma were much greater than in ascites (p<0.0001). More male or Child-Pugh class C than female or class B seropositive patients were positive for ascites. No hepatitis C virus-related ascites were positive for antibody. Neither plasma nor ascites samples from any subject were positive for HHV-8 DNA.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with cirrhosis, the seropositive rate for HHV-8 antibody is independent of thrombocytopenia. The positive rate for HHV-8 antibody in cirrhotic ascites seems to be associated with sex, disease severity and disease aetiology.
Chou
A-L
AL
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Chiayi 622, Taiwan.
Huang
W-W
WW
Lin
M-N
MN
Su
C-C
CC
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001201:Ascites / Q000821:virology; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012737:Sex Factors; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral