AEGiS-13IAC: Prevalence and determinants of anti-lytic antibodies to human herpesvirus-8 among Brazilian individuals at risk of sexually and parenterally transmitted infections and patients with Kaposi's sarcoma.

13th International AIDS Conference

Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

Prevalence and determinants of anti-lytic antibodies to human herpesvirus-8 among Brazilian individuals at risk of sexually and parenterally transmitted infections and patients with Kaposi's sarcoma.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. WeOrA473)

Zago A, Viana MC, Bourboulia D, Collandre H, Dietze R, Boshoff C, Keller R
A. Zago, Center of Reference in STD/AIDS, Vitoria, Brazil, Tel.: +55 27 227 92 31, E-mail: zago.vix@zaz.com.br

BACKGROUND: Current seroepidemiological studies indicate that HHV-8 is a common infection in patients with HIV infection and Kaposi's sarcoma disease and appears to be transmitted predominantly through homosexual contact. Very little is known about the seroprevalence of HHV-8 in South America. This study aimed at investigating the seroepidemiology of HHV-8 infection among groups at varying risk to KS disease and evaluation of risk factors for this infection in patients attending in STD clinic.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1997 to April 1998 in two STD clinics: Center of Reference and Treatment of STD/AIDS in Vitoria and Sao Paulo- Brazil in 225 patients. Of those, 137 were HIV-seronegative (only one with KS) and 88 were HIV-seropositive (40 with KS). Socio-demographic and sexual behavior data were collected by an interview from all patients at the STD clinics. All serum samples were blinded and analyzed by an indirect IFA method for the detection of human IgG antibodies to the latent nuclear antigen (LNA-1) of HHV-8 and were screened syphilis, cytomegalovirus (CMV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Data were analyzed using the SPSS software program (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, SPSS Inc.,Chicago).

RESULTS: Of those, 143 (63.6%) were men and 82 (36.4%) were women with median age 32.7 (SD = 7.02). The risks of HIV infection were heterosexual-159 (71.6%) patients, homo/bisexual- 63 (28.4%), injecting drug use- 17 (7.5%). The highest frequency of HHV-8 antibodies was found in the HIV positive patients with KS. Thirty-two out of 40 patients in this group (80%) were HHV-8 seropositive. HHV-8 antibodies were also found in 7/48 (14.6%) of HIV positive patients without KS (p = 0.000). In the HIV seronegative group the only patient with KS was also HHV-8 seropositive and 5/136 (3.7%) of the HIV- patients without KS had detectable anti-LNA antibodies. HIV positive patients reported a higher frequency of STDs than HIV negative patients did (70.5% versus 34.8%, p = 0.000); Gonorrhea was the most prevalent STD reported. Antibodies HBV and HCV were more frequently detectable in the HIV positive patients.

CONCLUSIONS: We found a high frequency of antibodies in the HIV positive group with KS (80%) and also in the HIV+ group without KS (14%). The presence of HHV-8 antibodies in serum from HIV seropositive patients was strongly associated with Kaposi's sarcoma (OR = 23.4; 95%CI: 7.6-71.4), HIV and HBV infection's (OR = 3.6; 95%CI: 1.03-12.6) and male homo/bisexual (OR = 9; 95% CI: 3.0-27.1). A significant association was found between HHV-8 infection and the number of sexual partners in this study. These data supporting the notion that HHV-8 can have the same route of transmission of HBV.

Keywords: AEGIS, Herpesvirus 8, Human, Sarcoma, Kaposi, Prevalence, HIV Seropositivity, HIV Infections, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Heterosexuality, Cross-Sectional Studies, Risk Factors, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Homosexuality, Brazil, South America, Chicago, Human, Female, Male, epidemiology
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