title: [Seroprevalence and risk factors of human herpes virus 8 infection in Central-East Tunisia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epidemiology of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) is still unknown in Tunisia. We aimed to assess the prevalence of HHV8 infection in adults and children from Central-East Tunisia and in patients with high risk of parenteral or sexual infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 553 subjects: 116 blood donors, 100 pregnant women, 100 children, 50 subjects with sexually transmitted infections with positive HIV serology and 50 other without HIV infection, 107 multitransfused patients and 30 kidney transplant patients. Antibodies against HHV8 were tested using a sensitive indirect immunofluorescence assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The seroprevalence of HHV8 was found to be 13.8% in blood donors, 13% in pregnant women and 12% in children. In healthy adult population, no association was found between HHV8 seropositivity and sex, sociodemographic characteristics, parenteral risk factors or serological markers of hepatitis B. Rates of HHV8 infection were significantly higher in patients having high-risk sexual behavior with or without HIV infection (P<10(-4)), in polytransfused patients (P<10(-4)) and in patients with kidney transplantation (P=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that HHV8 infection is widespread in Central-East Tunisia such as in the Mediterranean area. HHV8 infection appears to be acquired early in life, probably through saliva. HHV8 transmission by blood transfusion, subject of controversy in literature, is well established in our study. Early screening of this infection should be considered in populations with high risk of Kaposi's sarcoma in our areas.
authors: Laboratoire de microbiologie-immunologie, UR02SP13, CHU Farhat Hached, avenue Ibn Jazzar, 4000 Sousse, Tunisie. nhannachi@lycos.com
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Hannachi
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Ben Fredj
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Samoud
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Ferjani
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Khlif
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Boughammoura
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Soussi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Aouni
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Skouri
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Boukadida
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000635:transmission; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral