Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection in healthy urban employees from Greece: Seroprevalence and associated factors

✍ Scribed by Assimina Zavitsanou; Vana Sypsa; Maria Petrodaskalaki; Victoria Kalapothaki; Denise Whitby; Angelos Hatzakis

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 135 KB
• Volume: 79
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.20812

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

A cross‐sectional study was carried out in healthy company employees from Greece with the aim of assessing the prevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV‐8) and identifying risk factors for this herpesviral infection. Serum samples obtained from 955 subjects were tested for antibodies to HHV‐8 by the K8.1 enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Associations between HHV‐8 serostatus and potential risk factors were examined using t‐test, chi square test, and multivariate logistic regression analysis. HHV‐8 prevalence was 7.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 6.0%, 9.5%) and it increased with age from 6.5% among <30 years old to 13.8% among ≥50 years old subjects (P = 0.006). HHV‐8 seropositivity was independently associated with endoscopic examination (odds ratio (OR): 2.01; 95% CI: 1.09, 3.70; P = 0.026), HBsAg positivity (OR: 5.16; 95% CI: 2.02, 13.20; P = 0.001) and age (OR ≥50 years old vs. <50 years old: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.23, 3.52; P = 0.006). No statistically significant associations between HHV‐8 positive status and gender, occupational status, surgery, transfusion, tattoos/body piercing, multiple sex partners, weakness/fatigue, HCV status were observed. HHV‐8 is prevalent in Greece. The strong association between HBV infection and HHV‐8 positive status supports the hypothesis of an association between these two viral infections. The association between HHV‐8 seropositivity and endoscopic examination requires further investigation. J. Med. Virol. 79:591–596, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.