title: Seroprevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus among men who have sex with men in Japan.
abstract: Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), the etiologic agent of Kaposi's sarcoma, causes malignancies frequently in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In the United States and Europe, KSHV infection is common among men who have sex with men. However, the seroprevalence of KSHV among men who have sex with men in Japan is unknown. In the present study, the seroprevalence of KSHV was investigated among 230 men who have sex with men and 400 age- and area of residence-matched men (controls) using a mixed-antigen (KSHV-encoded K8.1, open reading frame 59, 65, and 73 proteins) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an immunofluorescence assay. Among the Japanese men who have sex with men, serological assays revealed that 27 (11.7%) were seropositive for KSHV; 20 (5%) of the men in the control group were also KSHV seropositive. The seroprevalence of KSHV among men who have sex with men was significantly higher than in the control group (odds ratio = 2.52, 95% confidence intervals = 1.38-4.62, P = 0.0019, Chi-square test). Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus, Treponema pallidum, or hepatitis B and C virus did not correlate with KSHV infection. Furthermore, the association of KSHV seropositivity with specific sexual activities was not statistically significant. In conclusion, a higher KSHV seroprevalence was found among Japanese men who have sex with men than among the controls, suggesting that the circulation of KSHV infection is more efficient among men who have sex with men in Japan than among men who do not engage in such sexual activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan. katano@nih.go.jp
authors.forename: Harutaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katano
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yokomaku
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukumoto
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanno
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Akitomo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shingae
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yasuoka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D060085:Coinfection; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014211:Treponemal Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins