Seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 and its association with Kaposi sarcoma in Brazil.

BACKGROUND

Epidemiologic studies have indicated that human herpesvirus 8 is implicated in the development of Kaposi sarcoma in different geographic areas worldwide.

GOAL: To provide information on the prevalence of human herpesvirus 8 in Brazil and its association with Kaposi sarcoma.

STUDY

DESIGN

An immunofluorescence assay was performed to test 1,044 serum samples from 747 blood donors, 73 patients presenting to casualty departments, and 224 patients attending sexually transmitted disease/AIDS clinics. The sexually transmitted disease group was composed of 88 patients with HIV (40 Kaposi sarcoma positive, 48 Kaposi sarcoma negative) and 136 patients without HIV.

RESULTS

Antibodies to human herpesvirus 8-latent nuclear antigens were found in 34 blood donors (4.6%), and in seven casualty patients (9.6%). The highest frequency of human herpesvirus 8 antibodies was found in the sexually transmitted disease group: 32 HIV-positive patients with Kaposi sarcoma (80%) and seven patients without Kaposi sarcoma (14.6%).

CONCLUSION

The presence of human herpesvirus 8 in patients with HIV was strongly associated with Kaposi sarcoma (odds ratio, 23.4; 95% CI, 7.7-71.4), male gender, homosexual or bisexual orientation, and hepatitis B virus infection, but not with the other sexually transmitted diseases that were investigated.