Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection in HIV/AIDS patients from Santos, Brazil: seroprevalence and associated factors

• Published in: Sexually transmitted diseases Vol. 32; no. 1; p. 57
• Main Authors: Pierrotti, Lígia Camera, Etzel, Arnaldo, Sumita, Laura Masami, Braga, Patrícia Emilia, Eluf-Neto, José, de Souza, Vanda Akico Ueda Fick, Segurado, Aluísio A Cotrim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2005
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Viral - analysis; Brazil - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Herpesviridae Infections - blood; Herpesviridae Infections - epidemiology; Herpesviridae Infections - etiology; Herpesviridae Infections - prevention & control; Herpesvirus 8, Human - immunology; Herpesvirus 8, Human - isolation & purification; HIV Infections - blood; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - etiology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Brazil
• ISSN: 0148-5717; 1537-4521
• DOI: 10.1097/01.olq.0000148300.33428.6e

The goal of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection among HIV-infected individuals from Brazil and the associated risk factors. A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 497 HIV/AIDS outpatients attending the local AIDS Reference Center in Santos (southeastern Brazil) between February 1997 and January 1998 had serum samples screened for anti-HHV-8 antibodies. Patients were considered seropositive whenever reactivity was observed in at least 1 of 3 tests (immunofluorescence assays for latent nuclear and lytic antigens and orf65 recombinant antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Overall HHV-8 seroprevalence was 13.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.9-17.6). HHV-8 coinfection was significantly more frequent in men (18.7%; 95% CI, 14.1-23.4) than in women (7.8%; 95% CI, 4.2-11.3) (P < 0.001). According to the mode of HIV acquisition among males, seroprevalence of HHV-8 infection was significantly higher in men who have sex with men when compared with the other groups (32.4% vs. 10.0%, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression revealed HHV-8 infection among men to be independently associated with sexual orientation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 5.5 for homosexuals; AOR, 2.8 for bisexuals). No significant risk factor for HHV-8 infection could be demonstrated for HIV-infected women in this cohort, This study provides further evidence that men who have sex with men are at higher risk of HHV-8 infection and shows that the epidemiologic pattern of this infection among HIV/AIDS patients from Santos, Brazil, is similar to that described in other countries with a low incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma.