title: High seroprevalence of human herpesvirus type 8 in patients with end-stage renal disease in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) is the aetiologic agent of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). The incidence of KS in renal transplant patients is much higher than in healthy controls. The risk is even higher among recipients seropositive for HHV-8 before transplantation. Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are immunocompromised and are candidates for renal transplantation, but HHV-8 seroprevalence in ESRD patients has not been well documented.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate HHV-8 seroprevalence in ESRD patients in a cohort in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples collected from 149 ESRD patients and 149 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were analysed for HHV-8 antibody with immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and for HHV-8 DNA with polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seropositivity and titres for HHV-8 antibodies with IFA as well as seropositivity with ELISA were significantly greater in ESRD patients than in healthy controls (P=0.006, 0.001 and 0.003, respectively). Patients with a history of taking herbal medicine had significantly greater ELISA positivity than those without such a history (P=0.004). ELISA positives, particularly patients, had much higher IFA antibody titres than ELISA negatives (P<0.0001). Seropositivity in ESRD patients was not related to lymphopaenia, monocytosis, dialysis duration or a history of transfusion. Two diabetic ESRD patients were positive for HHV-8 DNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESRD patients had significantly greater HHV-8 seropositivity than healthy controls in Taiwan. This association seems to be related to the geographic location of the cohort and invites further studies for the early association of HHV-8 infection in ESRD patients and risk for KS.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan. sucpo@yahoo.com.tw
authors.forename: Cheng-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Jen-Pi
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Ming-Nan
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Tsung-Cheng
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Ruo-Chia
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Tang-Yuan
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015200:Fluoroimmunoassay; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D019371:Topography, Medical; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: DM; Dialysis; ELISA; ESRD; HHV-8; IFA; KS; Kaposi's sarcoma; PCR; Transplantation; diabetes mellitus; end-stage renal disease; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; human herpesvirus type 8; immunofluorescence assay; polymerase chain reaction