title: Cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation of human herpesvirus 8 seroprevalence in HIV-1-infected individuals in Osaka, Japan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) seroprevalence has been reported in men who have sex with men (MSM) and are infected with HIV-1. However, it is unclear when they become infected with HHV-8. Thus, we conducted cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations of HHV-8 seroprevalence in HIV-1-infected individuals in Osaka, Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma was collected from 121 individuals infected with HIV-1 and the anti-HHV-8 antibody titer was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with whole virus lysate. Subjects were classified into those with and without a past medical history of HHV-8-associated disease; the latter group was then classified into 3 subgroups based on the assumed route of HIV-1 infection: blood products, homosexual contact, and other routes. HHV-8 seroprevalence was compared among the groups and measured again approximately 3 years after the baseline measurement. The relationship between HHV-8 seropositivity and possible associated factors was also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 15 subjects with HHV-8-associated disease were seropositive, and all 11 subjects in the blood product group were seronegative. In the MSM group, 25 (30%) of 79 subjects were HHV-8 seropositive and, in the non-MSM group, 1 (6%) of 16 subjects was (p < 0.0001). In the longitudinal investigation, seroconversion was observed in 10 (19%) of 52 subjects in the MSM group who were seronegative at baseline. A correlation was observed between seroconversion and symptomatic syphilis (p = 0.0432).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HHV-8 seropositivity and seroconversion rates were high in HIV-1-infected MSM, suggesting that, currently, HHV-8 is an epidemic pathogen in this population.
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan; Department of Advanced Medicine for HIV Infection, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan. Electronic address: dai@onh.go.jp.
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Yudai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Misa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashida
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Erina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan; Department of Advanced Medicine for HIV Infection, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Satomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yukawa
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Motoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikuma
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueji
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kasai
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uehira
authors.affiliation: AIDS Medical Center, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, Japan; Department of Advanced Medicine for HIV Infection, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirasaka
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: HHV-8; HIV-1; Seroconversion; Seroprevalence