title: Regional prevalence and transmission route of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus in Zhejiang, China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The infection of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) is most likely the cause of clinical Kaposi's sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and multi-center Castleman's disease. KSHV infection has very limited epidemiological survey data in China, and its definite mode of transmission remains controversial. This study aimed to determine the infection status and the main transmission route of KSHV in Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) utilizing KSHV ORF65 recombinant protein was employed to analyze the antibody response to KSHV ORF65 in sera from 122 healthy physical examination people, 107 intravenous drug users, 135 non-intravenous drug users, 211 hepatitis B (HBV) patients infected via blood transmission, 107 kidney transplant recipients, and 72 female sex workers in Zhejiang Province in Southeast China.
  
  
  RESULTS
  KSHV infection occurred relatively common (13.1%) in healthy population in Zhejiang, China. Infection rate was 16.7% in female sex workers, but significantly elevated in intravenous drug addicts (58.9%), blood-transmitted HBV patients (28.0%) and kidney transplant patients (41.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood borne transmission of KSHV is probably the main route of infection in Zhejiang Province.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Hong-zhen
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ying-jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zi-ke
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Ji-fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sheng
mesh_terms: D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics