Detection of human herpesvirus 8 DNA in serum from blood donors with HHV-8 antibodies indicates possible bloodborne virus transmission

• Published in: JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY Vol. 68; no. 2; pp. 264 - 267
• Main Authors: Enbom, Malin, Urassa, Willy, Massambu, Charles, Thorstensson, Rigmor, Mhalu, Fred, Linde, Annika
• Format: Journal Article Publication
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.10.2002; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Africa; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Donors; DNA, Viral - blood; DNA, Viral - genetics; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Herpesviridae Infections - epidemiology; Herpesviridae Infections - immunology; Herpesviridae Infections - transmission; Herpesviridae Infections - virology; Herpesvirus 8, Human - genetics; Herpesvirus 8, Human - immunology; Herpesvirus 8, Human - isolation & purification; Humans; immunofluorescence assay; Male; Microbiology; Molecular immunology; Pathogenicity, virulence, toxins, bacteriocins, pyrogens, host-bacteria relations, miscellaneous strains; Polymerase Chain Reaction; real time PCR; Tanzania - epidemiology; Techniques; Transfusion Reaction; Africa; Tanzania; Human; Skin disease; Antibody; Transmission; Serology; Malignant tumor; Blood; Antigen; Polymerase chain reaction; Virus; Kaposi sarcoma; Serum; Detection; Immunofluorescence; Blood donor
• ISSN: 0146-6615; 1096-9071
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.10183

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV‐8) is associated with Kaposi's sarcoma. There is a high seroprevalence of HHV‐8 in several African countries, but the transmission route is not known definitively. In this study 174 serum samples from blood donors in Tanzania were examined by immunofluorescence assays detecting antibodies to latent and lytic HHV‐8 antigens. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction was used for detection and quantification of HHV‐8 DNA in serum. In all, 83/174 (48%) of the subjects had antibodies to latent or lytic antigens. Forty (23%) had antibodies to both antigens and of those eight (20%) had detectable HHV‐8 DNA in serum. HHV‐8 DNA load correlated with antibody titres to lytic, but not latent, HHV‐8 antigens. This supports the usefulness of anti‐lytic antibodies in HHV‐8 serology and suggests that transmission of HHV‐8 by blood contact could be of importance in this region. J. Med. Virol. 68: 264–267, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.