title: Seroprevalence of HHV-6 and HHV-8 among blood donors in Greece.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Herpes viruses infection transmitted through healthy but infected blood donors pose a danger to herpes-naive immunocompromised recipients. The risk of transfusion-related HHV-8 transmission is different in endemic and not endemic areas. HHV-6 and HHV-8 seroprevalence and viral load among blood donors have been reported from different countries. The aim of our study was to assess the seroprevalence of HHV-8 and HHV-6 in volunteer blood donors from Greece which is unknown.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum samples from 179 healthy blood donors were tested for the presence of IgG antibodies against HHV-6 and HHV-8 with ELISA. None of the 179 donors of Greek origin tested was positive for HHV-8. HHV-6 seropositivity was assessed in 160 blood donors' samples and was found to be 78.75% (126/160). The HHV-6 seroprevalence did not differ either between males and females or among different decade age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fact, that no blood donor was positive for HHV-8 IgG antibodies indicates that the risk for transfusion related HHV-8 transmission in Greece, if any, is negligible and does not warrant broad testing for HHV-8. Definitely further studies are needed, in order to clarify the potential risk of HHV-6 transmission.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Politou
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koutras
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaparos
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valsami
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pittaras
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Logothetis
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, Medical School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece. gpanagiotakop@upatras.gr.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Panayiotakopoulos
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kouskouni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult