Prevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus and transfusion-transmissible infections in Tanzanian blood donors

Salum J Lidenge; Tara Tran; For Yue Tso; John R Ngowi; Danielle M Shea; Julius Mwaiselage; Charles Wood; John T West

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.04.018

Prevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus and transfusion-transmissible infections in Tanzanian blood donors

Int J Infect Dis. 2020 Jun:95:204-209. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.04.018. Epub 2020 Apr 12.

Authors

Salum J Lidenge¹, Tara Tran², For Yue Tso², John R Ngowi³, Danielle M Shea⁴, Julius Mwaiselage⁵, Charles Wood⁶, John T West⁷

Affiliations

¹ Nebraska Center for Virology, Lincoln, NE, USA; School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA; Ocean Road Cancer Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
² Nebraska Center for Virology, Lincoln, NE, USA; School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA.
³ Ocean Road Cancer Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
⁴ Nebraska Center for Virology, Lincoln, NE, USA.
⁵ Ocean Road Cancer Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
⁶ Nebraska Center for Virology, Lincoln, NE, USA; School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA. Electronic address: jwest2@unl.edu.
⁷ Nebraska Center for Virology, Lincoln, NE, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA.

Abstract

Objective: Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent for Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), one of the most common cancers in Tanzania. We have investigated KSHV prevalence and factors associated with KSHV infection in Tanzania.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of voluntary blood-donors from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Plasma was screened for KSHV, HIV-1, HBV, HCV and Treponema pallidum (syphilis). Associations between KSHV sero-status and risk factors were analyzed. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported to evaluate risk factors of KSHV infection. All tests were 2-tailed, and P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: The overall KSHV seroprevalence was 56.9%. Significantly increased risk of KSHV infection was detected in persons from the Lake and Central Zones (OR=6.4, 95% CI=1.6-25.3, P=0.008 and OR=5.7, 95% CI=1.0-32.5, P=0.048 respectively). A trend toward increased risk of KSHV infection with HIV-1 co-infection was not significant (OR=2.8, 95% CI=1.0-8.0, P=0.06). Seroreactivity to T. pallidum was surprisingly high (14.9%).

Conclusion: The prevalence of KSHV infection and syphilis was high among Tanzanian blood-donors. The most common transfusion-transmissible infections did not associate with KSHV infection. Regions of focal KSHV infection need further investigation for underappreciated risk factors.

Keywords: Blood donors; KSHV prevalence; Tanzania; Transfusion-transmissible infections.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Blood Donors*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
HIV Infections / epidemiology
HIV-1
Herpesviridae Infections / epidemiology
Herpesvirus 8, Human / immunology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Sarcoma, Kaposi / epidemiology*
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Syphilis / epidemiology
Tanzania / epidemiology
Transfusion Reaction*

Abstract

MeSH terms

Grants and funding