Prevalence and correlates of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection in a sample of men who have sex with men in eastern China

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 141; no. 9; pp. 1823 - 1830
• Main Authors: ZHANG, T., LIN, H., MINHAS, V., ZHU, W., WOOD, C., HE, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Cambridge University Press 01.09.2013
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adolescent; Adult; AIDS; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Biological and medical sciences; China - epidemiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hepatitis; Herpes viruses; Herpesviridae Infections - diagnosis; Herpesviridae Infections - epidemiology; Herpesvirus 8, Human - immunology; HIV; Homosexuality, Male; Human herpesvirus 8; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infections; Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus; Kaposis sarcoma; Laboratories; Male; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Original Papers; Plasma; Population; Regression analysis; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serology; Sex industry; Sexual behavior; Sexual orientation; Sexually transmitted diseases; Sociodemographics; Statistical analysis; STD; Syphilis; Treponema pallidum; Virology; Viruses; Young Adult; Asia; China; United States > US; China, People's Rep; Gammaherpesvirinae; Virus; Human herpesvirus 8; Homosexuality; Prevalence; Herpesviridae; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268812002361

This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and related factors in men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. A total of 208 subjects were recruited from eastern China from 2008 to 2009. Plasma samples were collected and screened for KSHV, HIV and syphilis. Overall, KSHV seroprevalence was 32·7% in the subjects. About 92·7% of subjects reported having ever had anal sex with a man, of whom 67·8% had receptive anal sex and 77·9% had insertive anal sex. About 93·1% of the study participants reported having had oral sex with a man, of whom 76·0% had receptive oral sex and 56·7% had insertive oral sex. KSHV seropositivity was independently associated with receptive anal sex [odds ratio (OR) 2·68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·15—6·23], syphilis (OR 3·25, 95% CI 1·56—6·76) and HSV-2 infection (OR 2·40, 95% CI 1·09—5·26). KSHV infection is highly prevalent and is probably sexually transmitted among MSM in eastern China.