Andreoni M, El-Sawaf G, Rezza G, Ensoli B, Nicastri E, Ventura L, Ercoli L, Sarmati L, Rocchi G
Infectious Diseases Institute, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
J Natl Cancer Inst. 1999 Mar 3;91(5):465-9. doi: 10.1093/jnci/91.5.465.
In western countries, human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) appears to be transmitted mainly by sexual contact. To evaluate the role of other transmission routes, especially in developing countries, we estimated the seroprevalence of HHV-8 in Egyptian children, who, if seropositive, would have acquired the virus through a nonsexual route.
Sera from 196 children (<1-12 years of age), 20 adolescents (13-20 years of age), and 30 young adults (21-25 years of age) attending a vaccination program in Alexandria, Egypt, were studied. Immunofluorescence assays were used to detect antibodies against HHV-8 lytic-phase antigens (anti-lytic) and latent-phase antigens (anti-latent). Antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus viral cap antigen, cytomegalovirus, and HHV-6 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Seroprevalence of these herpesviruses was calculated after stratifying the subjects by age.
Anti-lytic and anti-latent HHV-8 antibodies were detected in 44.7% and 8.5% of the study participants, respectively. The prevalence of anti-lytic antibodies tended to increase with age, exceeding 50% in children older than 6 years; once children reached the age of 10 years, the prevalence tended to stabilize. The seroprevalence of other herpesviruses tended to be higher than that of HHV-8, ranging from approximately 83% to more than 97% in the 9- to 12-year age group. One- to 3-year-old children had higher titers of antilytic HHV-8 antibodies than children in the other age groups. Anti-latent antibodies were more frequently detected in individuals with high anti-lytic antibody titers.
HHV-8 antibodies are highly prevalent in Egyptian children, suggesting that, in developing countries, HHV-8 infection may be acquired early in life through routes other than sexual transmission. The lower seroprevalence of HHV-8 relative to that of the other herpesviruses suggests that HHV-8 is less transmissible than other common herpesviruses.
在西方国家，人类疱疹病毒8型（HHV-8）似乎主要通过性接触传播。为评估其他传播途径的作用，尤其是在发展中国家，我们估算了埃及儿童中HHV-8的血清阳性率，若这些儿童血清呈阳性，则表明他们是通过非性途径感染该病毒的。
对来自埃及亚历山大市参加疫苗接种项目的196名儿童（年龄小于1至12岁）、20名青少年（13至20岁）和30名青年（21至25岁）的血清进行了研究。采用免疫荧光法检测抗HHV-8裂解期抗原抗体（抗裂解抗体）和潜伏期抗原抗体（抗潜伏抗体）。通过酶联免疫吸附试验检测抗爱泼斯坦-巴尔病毒病毒衣壳抗原抗体、抗巨细胞病毒抗体和抗HHV-6抗体。按年龄对受试者进行分层后，计算这些疱疹病毒的血清阳性率。
分别在44.7%和8.5%的研究参与者中检测到抗裂解和抗潜伏HHV-8抗体。抗裂解抗体的患病率随年龄增长呈上升趋势，在6岁以上儿童中超过50%；儿童一旦达到10岁，患病率趋于稳定。其他疱疹病毒的血清阳性率往往高于HHV-8，在9至12岁年龄组中，其范围约为83%至97%以上。1至3岁儿童的抗裂解HHV-8抗体滴度高于其他年龄组的儿童。抗潜伏抗体在抗裂解抗体滴度高的个体中更常被检测到。
HHV-8抗体在埃及儿童中高度流行，这表明在发展中国家，HHV-8感染可能在生命早期通过性传播以外的途径获得。与其他疱疹病毒相比，HHV-8的血清阳性率较低，这表明HHV-8的传播性低于其他常见疱疹病毒。
