Transmission of Human Herpesvirus Type 8 Infection Within Families in American Indigenous Populations From the Brazilian Amazon

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 205; no. 12; pp. 1869 - 1876
• Main Authors: Borges, Jaila D., Souza, Vanda A. U. F., Giambartolomei, Claudia, Dudbridge, Frank, Freire, Wilton S., Gregório, Shinai Arriel, Torrez, Pasesa Pascuala Quispe, Quiroga, Mariana, Mayaud, Philippe, Pannuti, Claudio S., Nascimento, Maria Cláudia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 15.06.2012
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil - epidemiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Endemic Diseases; Family Health; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Herpesviridae; Herpesviridae Infections - transmission; Herpesviridae Infections - virology; Herpesvirus 8, Human - classification; Herpesvirus 8, Human - genetics; Herpesvirus 8, Human - isolation & purification; Human herpesvirus 8; Humans; Indians, South American; Infant; Infections; Infectious diseases; Kaposi sarcoma; Logistic regression; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Mothers; Population Groups; Saliva; Seroepidemiologic studies; Serum - immunology; Siblings; Virology; VIRUSES; Young Adult; Brazil; Gammaherpesvirinae; Virus; Infection; Human herpesvirus 8; Herpesviridae; Transmission
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jis278

Background. The intrafamilial dynamics of endemic infection with human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) in Amerindian populations is unknown. Methods. Serum samples were obtained from 517 Amerindians and tested for HHV-8 anti—latent nuclear antigen (anti-LANA) and antilytic antibodies by immunofluorescence assays. Logistic regression and mixed logistic models were used to estimate the odds of being HHV-8 seropositive among intrafamilial pairs. Results. HHV-8 seroprevalence by either assay was 75.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 71.5%—79.1%), and it was age-dependent (Ptrend<.001). Familial dependence in HHV-8 seroprevalence by either assay was found between mother—offspring (odds ratio [OR], 5.44; 95% CI: 1.62—18.28) and siblings aged ≥10 years (OR 4.42, 95% CI: 1.70—11.45) or siblings in close age range (<5 years difference) (OR 3.37, 95% CI: 1.21—9.40), or in families with large (>4) number of siblings (OR, 3.20, 95% CI: 1.33—7.67). In separate analyses by serological assay, there was strong dependence in mother—offspring (OR 8.94, 95% CI: 2.94—27.23) and sibling pairs aged ≥10 years (OR, 11.91, 95% CI: 2.23—63.64) measured by LANA but not lytic antibodies. Conclusions. This pattern of familial dependence suggests that, in this endemic population, HHV-8 transmission mainly occurs from mother to offspring and between close siblings during early childhood, probably via saliva. The mother to offspring dependence was derived chiefly from anti-LANA antibodies.