title: High seroprevalence of human herpesviruses in HIV-infected individuals attending primary healthcare facilities in rural South Africa.
abstract: Seroprevalence data of human herpesviruses (HHVs) are limited for sub-Saharan Africa. These are important to provide an indication of potential burden of HHV-related disease, in particular in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals who are known to be at increased risk of these conditions in the Western world. In this cross-sectional study among 405 HIV-infected and antiretroviral therapy naïve individuals in rural South Africa the seroprevalence of HHVs was: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) (98%), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) (87%), varicella zoster virus (VZV) (89%), and 100% for both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Independent factors associated with VZV seropositivity were low educational status and having children. Lack of in-house access to drinking water was independently associated with positive HSV-1 serostatus, whereas Shangaan ethnicity was associated with HSV-2 seropositivity. Increasing age was associated with higher IgG titres to both EBV and CMV, whereas CD4 cell count was negatively associated with EBV and CMV IgG titres. Moreover, IgG titres of HSV-1 and 2, VZV and CMV, and CMV and EBV were positively correlated. The high HHV seroprevalence emphasises the importance of awareness of these viral infections in HIV-infected individuals in South Africa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg and Tzaneen, South Africa.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schaftenaar
authors.affiliation: Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Georges M G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Verjans
authors.affiliation: Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Getu
authors.affiliation: Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg and Tzaneen, South Africa; School of Public Health & Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.affiliation: Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg and Tzaneen, South Africa; Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases & HIV Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Helen E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Struthers
authors.affiliation: Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Albert D M E
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Osterhaus
authors.affiliation: Anova Health Institute, Johannesburg and Tzaneen, South Africa; Department of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Remco P H
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000502:physiology*; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G