Department of Internal Medicine, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Chiayi County, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan; Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Department of Internal Medicine, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Chiayi County, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
Pathology. 2019 Jan;51(1):86-90. doi: 10.1016/j.pathol.2018.10.005. Epub 2018 Nov 27.
A high seroprevalence of human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) in mild cirrhotics is significantly associated with hepatitis activity. Cirrhosis is always derived from chronic hepatitis. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HHV-8 infection in patients with chronic hepatitis. Blood samples collected from 129 patients with chronic hepatitis and 129 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were analysed for monocyte and platelet counts, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), HHV-8 antibody and DNA, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Mean monocyte and platelet counts were significantly higher and lower in patients than in healthy controls (p = 0.02 and < 0.0001, respectively). Seropositive rate for HHV-8 antibodies was significantly greater in patients (32.6%) than in controls (20.9%, p = 0.04), particularly in patients with HCV infection, or higher plasma ALT levels, or both (p = 0.004, 0.01, and 0.0009, respectively). Antibody titres for HHV-8 in patients also exceeded those in controls (p = 0.02). The mean age of HHV-8 seropositive patients (60.3 years) was significantly older than that of seronegatives (52.3 years) (p = 0.0007). Patients aged 55 or older had higher seropositive rate and titres for HHV-8 antibodies than those younger (p = 0.005 and 0.007, respectively). A significantly high HHV-8 seroprevalence is already present in patients with chronic hepatitis before the development of cirrhosis, particularly in patients with HCV infection and/or higher plasma ALT levels. Advancing age seems to play an important role in HHV-8 seroprevalence in patients with chronic hepatitis.
人疱疹病毒 8 型（HHV-8）在轻度肝硬化患者中的高血清阳性率与肝炎活动显著相关。肝硬化总是由慢性肝炎发展而来。我们旨在评估慢性乙型肝炎患者中 HHV-8 感染的流行情况。对 129 例慢性乙型肝炎患者和 129 例年龄和性别匹配的健康对照者的血液样本进行了单核细胞和血小板计数、乙型肝炎表面抗原（HBsAg）、抗丙型肝炎病毒（抗-HCV）、HHV-8 抗体和 DNA、丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）检测。患者的单核细胞和血小板计数明显高于对照组（p = 0.02 和 < 0.0001）。HHV-8 抗体的血清阳性率在患者中明显高于对照组（32.6%比 20.9%，p = 0.04），特别是在 HCV 感染或较高的血浆 ALT 水平或两者均有的患者中（p = 0.004，0.01 和 0.0009）。患者的 HHV-8 抗体滴度也高于对照组（p = 0.02）。HHV-8 抗体阳性患者的平均年龄（60.3 岁）明显大于阴性患者（52.3 岁）（p = 0.0007）。年龄 55 岁或以上的患者 HHV-8 抗体的血清阳性率和滴度均高于年龄较轻的患者（p = 0.005 和 0.007）。在发展为肝硬化之前，慢性乙型肝炎患者中已经存在很高的 HHV-8 血清阳性率，特别是在 HCV 感染和/或较高的血浆 ALT 水平的患者中。年龄的增长似乎在慢性乙型肝炎患者的 HHV-8 血清阳性率中起着重要作用。
