Seroprevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8 in several regions of Italy

J Hum Virol. 1998 Mar-Apr;1(3):207-13.

Abstract

Objective: To study the seroprevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus type 8 (KSHV/HHV-8) in 779 Italian blood donors.

Study design/methods: Sera were tested for antibodies to a latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) and a capsid related protein encoded by ORF65.

Results: Among all Italian donors, 17.7% and 18.7% had antibodies to LANA and ORF65 protein, respectively, and 24.1% had antibodies to at least one antigen. KSHV/HHV-8 seroprevalence was higher in the Po valley and in Sardinia than close to the sub-Alpine Veneto region, Tuscany, or Apulia. KSHV/HHV-8 seroprevalence was almost equally distributed between men and women but increased in the older age groups.

Conclusions: The regional differences and age distribution in seroprevalence agree partially with the incidence of classic KS in Italy. The rarity of classic KS in KSHV/HHV-8-infected subjects and the equal gender distribution of seroprevalence suggest that other cofactors may contribute to KS development in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-uninfected individuals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Antibodies, Viral / analysis
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Blood Donors
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • HIV Seronegativity
  • HIV Seropositivity
  • Herpesviridae Infections / epidemiology*
  • Herpesvirus 8, Human* / immunology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Nuclear Proteins / analysis
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi / epidemiology*
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • latency-associated nuclear antigen