title: Merkel cell polyomavirus infection occurs during early childhood and is transmitted between siblings.
abstract: Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is thought to be the etiological agent of Merkel cell carcinoma, but little is known about its distribution and modes of transmission. We conducted seroepidemiological surveys in more than 1000 individuals, from two populations from Cameroon. Overall MCPyV seroprevalence was high in both populations (>75% in adults). Data from the first population, comprising mainly children, indicated that MCPyV infections mostly occurred during early childhood, after the disappearance of specific maternal antibodies. Results from the second family-based population provided evidence for familial aggregation of MCPyV infection status. We observed significant sib-sib correlation (odds ratio=3.42 [95% CI 1.27-9.19], p=0.014), particularly for siblings close together in age, and a trend for mother-child correlation (OR=2.71 [0.86-8.44], p=0.08). Overall, our results suggest that MCPyV infection is acquired through close contact, possibly involving saliva and/or the skin, especially between young siblings and between mothers and their children.
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, Unité d'Epidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, Département de Virologie, F-75015 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martel-Jantin
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pedergnana
authors.forename: Jérôme T J
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Nicol
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Leblond
authors.forename: David-Alexandre
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Trégouët
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tortevoye
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Plancoulaine
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coursaget
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Touzé
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abel
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gessain
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D059965:Merkel cell polyomavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D035781:Siblings; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Correlation; Familial study; Merkel cell polyomavirus; Primary infection; Transmission mode