title: No Evidence of Human Herpesvirus 8 among Iranian Patients Infected with HIV.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kaposi's sarcoma is a vascular malignancy, which frequently occurs among immunocompromised individuals such as transplant recipients and patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is considered the etiological agent of all forms of Kaposi's sarcoma. Though some seroepidemiological studies conducted on the prevalence of HHV-8 in Iran, there are insufficient data on the prevalence of HHV-8 viremia in HIV infected patients. We therefore, aimed to determine the prevalence of HHV-8 viremia in general population and HIV infected patients without Kaposi's sarcoma in Tehran, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross sectional survey on 99 patients with HIV infection referred to Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS and 40 healthy controls in Tehran, Iran from January to April 2014. The presence of HHV-8 DNA was detected in buffy coat samples of enrolled subjects using nested PCR assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 99 HIV infected patients with mean age of 37.9±10 yr and 40 healthy controls with mean age of 39±11.5 yr were enrolled in the study. The mean CD4 count was 410.3± 211.4 cells/mm(3). HHV-8 DNA was not detected in both healthy control and HIV patient groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey showed low rate of HHV-8 DNA in healthy controls and HIV patients. Considering our findings HHV-8 infection does not seem to be widespread in our population. Further studies focusing on different regions of Iran appear to be required to have a more accurate estimation.
authors: Dept. of Clinical Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Amitis
authors: A
authors: Ramezani
authors: Pharmaceutical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Elham
authors: E
authors: Saboori
authors: Dept. of Virology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Kayhan
authors: K
authors: Azadmanesh
authors: Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Minoo
authors: M
authors: Mohraz
authors: Dept. of Virology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Monireh
authors: M
authors: Kazemimanesh
authors: Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
authors: Afsaneh
authors: A
authors: Karami
authors: Iranian Society for Support of Patients with Infectious Disease, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Banifazl
authors: Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Hanieh
authors: H
authors: Golchehregan
authors: Dept. of Clinical Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Arezoo
authors: A
authors: Aghakhani
keywords: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8); Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); Iran; Prevalence; Viremia