title: Human herpesvirus 8 seroconversion in a population-based cohort of men in Tobago.
abstract: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is the causal agent of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). In Tobago, KS is not common; however, HHV-8 seropositivity has been reported to be 39.9% in men with prostate cancer compared to <22.9% in healthier women and men. To understand HHV-8 transmission, we examined HHV-8 seroconversion and seroreversion, and risk factors for these changes in Tobago men. Serum specimens from a sub-cohort of Tobago Prostate Survey men, aged 40-81 years (n = 381/442), were collected at baseline and a subsequent visit between 3 and 9 years and tested for HHV-8 seropositivity using an immunofluorescence assay for antibodies against HHV-8 lytic antigens. Poisson distribution was used to calculate HHV-8 seroconversion and seroreversion rates and their 95% confidence intervals. Differences in baseline characteristics between HHV-seroconverters versus persistent HHV-8 seronegative men and HHV-8 seroreverters versus HHV-8 seropositive men were examined. HHV-8 seropositivity was 12.3% (N = 381) at baseline, with HHV-8 seropositivity significantly higher in increasing age groups, 40-49 (4.0%) to 70-81 (37.5%) years (P-value trend <0.0001). HHV-8 seroconversion and seroreversion rates were 0.23 per 100 person-years (95% C.I., 0.06-0.58) and 2.42 per 100 person-years (95% C.I., 0.89-5.26), respectively. There were significantly more HHV-8 seroconverters who reported "ever smoked cigarettes of >6 months" at baseline compared to HHV-8 persistent seronegative men (P-value = 0.03). Baseline characteristics of HHV-8 seroreverters did not differ from persistent seropositive men. Low HHV-8 seroconversion and seroreversion rates were found. Data suggest that HHV-8 transmission occurred at earlier ages, <40 years, in Tobago men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health, Hofstra North Shore Long Island Jewish School of Medicine, Great Neck, New York; Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, Manhasset, New York.
authors.forename: Alicia C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Clareann H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Bunker
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.forename: Joel L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Weissfeld
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: human herpesvirus 8; seroconversion; seroreversion