title: High seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that is associated with genetic and environmental factors and microbial infection. With respect to microbial infection, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been a widely discussed issue in recent decades. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) belongs to the same γ-herpesvirus subfamily as EBV and is closely related to it. Until now, only one paper has reported the prevalence of HHV-8 infection in SLE patients. The goal of this study was to detect the prevalence of HHV-8 infection in SLE patients to elucidate the relationship between HHV-8 and SLE.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the seroprevalence of HHV-8 in SLE patients by immunofluorescence assay. In addition, we quantified the HHV-8 DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from SLE patients by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of HHV-8 antibodies in SLE and normal controls was 57.8% (26/45) and 19.2% (5/26), respectively. These data were highly significant (P = 0.001). No HHV-8 DNA was detected by real-time PCR in SLE patients' PBMCs. In addition, we analyzed the prevalence of HHV-8 infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. There was no significant difference between the patients and normal controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high seroprevalence of HHV-8 infection was found in patients with SLE. The negative DNA load and high seropositive rate indicate that most patients might have latent infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.forename: Liang-Yin
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Shih-Meng
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Po-Liang
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Wen-Chan
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D017735:Virus Latency; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV); human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8); systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)