Epidemiology of Human Herpes Virus 8 in Pregnant Women and their Newborns--A cross-sectional delivery survey in Central Gabon.
OBJECTIVE
On the background of a high prevalence of HHV-8 infection in pre-pubertal Central African children, this study investigated the potential for in utero transmission of HHV-8.


METHODS
Gabonese pregnant women were invited to provide peripheral and cord blood samples for serological and PCR diagnostics of HHV-8 infection at delivery for this cross-sectional survey.


RESULTS
Out of 344 participants 120 (35%, 95% CI: 30-40%) were serologically positive for HHV-8. 31% (95% CI: 22-40%) of cord blood samples of seropositive women had detectable IgG antibodies. Among all seropositive participants HHV-8 was detected by PCR in one maternal peripheral blood sample at delivery (1%, 95% CI: 0.2-7%) and in none of cord blood samples. There was no association between demographic characteristics and infection status. Similarly, there was no difference in risk for premature delivery, low birth weight, and maternal anaemia in HHV-8 seropositive women.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest a high seroprevalence of HHV-8 infection in pregnant women, however viraemia at delivery does not commonly occur in Central Africa. Based on these observations it may be speculated that infection of children may occur more commonly either antepartum or later on in infancy and childhood.
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Mesküre
M
Capan-Melser
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Département de Parasitologie, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Libreville, Gabon.
Ghyslain
G
Mombo-Ngoma
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Daisy
D
Akerey-Diop
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Arti
A
Basra
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Rella
R
Manego-Zoleko
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Heike
H
Würbel
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Felix
F
Lötsch
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Mirjam
M
Groger
Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Michael
M
Skoll
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Julia
J
Schwing
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Ulla
U
Schipulle
Centre de Recherches Médicales de la Ngounié, Fougamou, Gabon.
Pierre-Blaise
PB
Matsiegui
Barcelona Centre for International Health Research Hospital Clinic (CRESIB, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), IS Global, Barcelona, Spain.
Raquel
R
González
Barcelona Centre for International Health Research Hospital Clinic (CRESIB, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), IS Global, Barcelona, Spain.
Clara
C
Menendez
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Peter G
PG
Kremsner
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Ayôla A
AA
Adegnika
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Selidji T
ST
Agnandji
Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Department of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: michael.ramharter@medizin.uni-tuebingen.de.
Michael
M
Ramharter
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D000914:Antibodies, Viral
Cord blood; Human herpes virus-8; Pregnancy; Sub-Saharan Africa; Vertical transmission