Epidemiology and Infection

Table of Contents - 2003 - Volume 131, Issue 03  


Human herpesvirus-8 antibodies and DNA in HIV-1 infected patients in South Africa

L. ALAGIOZOGLOU a1, L. MORRIS a1, H. BREDELL a1, D. J. MARTIN a1 and F. SITAS a2c1
a1 AIDS Virus Research Unit, National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Department of Virology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
a2 Cancer Epidemiology Research Group and National Cancer Registry, National Health Laboratory Service, Department of Anatomical Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Article author query
alagiozoglou l   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
morris l   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
bredell h   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
martin d   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
sitas f   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

HIV-infected individuals with high levels of IgG antibodies against human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) are at increased risk of developing Kaposi's sarcoma. The aim of this study was to measure the association between HHV-8 viraemia and IgG antibody responses (by immunofluorescence) in a group of 201 HIV-infected individuals attending outpatient clinics, 91 in-patients with AIDS and 87 HIV-infected patients admitted with Kaposi's sarcoma. Compared to HIV-infected outpatients, the adjusted odds ratio in relation to Kaposi's sarcoma was 15·4 (95% CI 4·4–54·2) in those with viraemia, 25·1 (95% CI 6·6–95·6) in those with a positive immunofluorescent signal and [infty infinity] (lower exact CI 33·6) in those with a high immunofluorescent signal (all P trend <0·001). Among those without HHV-8 viraemia, 23% were IgG-positive, but only 5·5% had a high immunofluorescent signal. In those who were viraemic, 89·1% were IgG-positive, and 28·2% had a high immunofluorescent signal, suggesting viraemia is associated with high HHV-8 immunofluorescence IgG signal.

(Accepted June 23 2003)


Correspondence:
c1 Dr F. Sitas, Cancer Research and Registers Division, The Cancer Council NSW, PO Box 572, Kings Cross, Sydney, NSW 2011, Australia.

Metrics
Related Content