Engels Eric A, Clark Elizabeth, Aledort Louis M, Goedert James J, Whitby Denise
Viral Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD 20892, USA.
Int J Epidemiol. 2002 Oct;31(5):946-50. doi: 10.1093/ije/31.5.946.
Worldwide, Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) occurs in immunocompetent elderly adults, especially men. Elderly Jews have relatively high KS risk, but it is unclear whether this indicates heightened prevalence of KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), the KS agent. We studied Jewish and non-Jewish patients at a New York City geriatrics clinic.
We measured plasma antibodies against K8.1 (a KSHV glycoprotein) by enzyme immunoassay and against viral latency antigens by immunofluorescence assay. Individuals positive by either were considered KSHV-seropositive. Titres were performed for positive subjects. We used polymerase chain reaction to quantify circulating KSHV DNA.
Of 467 subjects (median age 80 years), 40 were KSHV-seropositive (8.6%). Seroprevalence was 8.8% among Jews (18 of 204), similar to other religious groups, and did not differ by sex or region of birth. However, K8.1 antibody titres were higher in men than women (geometric mean titre 177 versus 35, P = 0.03) and increased with age (P = 0.02). The K8.1 titres were higher in three people from Central/Eastern Europe (1,280, 1,280, 320), all of whom were Jewish, than in others (geometric mean titre 39, P = 0.006). The single person with detectable circulating KSHV (457 copies/million cells) had the highest titre (5,120).
The KSHV seroprevalence was not elevated among elderly Jews, despite their known high risk for KS. However, among KSHV-seropositive individuals, K8.1 titres were highest in subgroups at greatest risk for KS (men, older individuals, people from Central/Eastern Europe) and may identify individuals with poor immune control of KSHV replication during asymptomatic infection.
在全球范围内，卡波西肉瘤（KS）发生于免疫功能正常的老年人，尤其是男性。老年犹太人患KS的风险相对较高，但尚不清楚这是否表明KS相关疱疹病毒（KSHV，即KS病原体）的患病率升高。我们在纽约市一家老年病诊所对犹太和非犹太患者进行了研究。
我们通过酶免疫测定法检测血浆中针对K8.1（一种KSHV糖蛋白）的抗体，并通过免疫荧光测定法检测针对病毒潜伏抗原的抗体。两种方法中任一种呈阳性的个体被视为KSHV血清阳性。对阳性受试者进行滴度检测。我们使用聚合酶链反应来定量循环中的KSHV DNA。
在467名受试者（中位年龄80岁）中，40人KSHV血清阳性（8.6%）。犹太人中的血清阳性率为8.8%（204人中有18人），与其他宗教群体相似，且在性别或出生地区方面无差异。然而，男性的K8.1抗体滴度高于女性（几何平均滴度分别为177和35，P = 0.03），并且随年龄增加而升高（P = 0.02）。来自中欧/东欧的三人（滴度分别为1280、1280、320）的K8.1滴度高于其他人（几何平均滴度为39，P = 0.006），这三人均为犹太人。唯一检测到循环KSHV的个体（457拷贝/百万细胞）具有最高滴度（5120）。
尽管老年犹太人患KS的风险已知较高，但他们的KSHV血清阳性率并未升高。然而，在KSHV血清阳性个体中，K8.1滴度在患KS风险最高的亚组（男性、年长者、来自中欧/东欧的人）中最高，并且可能识别出在无症状感染期间对KSHV复制免疫控制不佳的个体。
