Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Human Herpesvirus 8 Infection, Rural Egypt1

Abstract

To determine whether human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is associated with schistosomal and hepatitis C virus infections in Egypt, we surveyed 965 rural household participants who had been tested for HHV-8 and schistosomal infection (seroprevalence 14.2% and 68.6%, respectively, among those <15 years of age, and 24.2% and 72.8%, respectively, among those ≥15 years of age. Among adults, HHV-8 seropositivity was associated with higher age, lower education, dental treatment, tattoos, >10 lifetime injections, and hepatitis C virus seropositivity. In adjusted analyses, HHV-8 seropositivity was associated with dental treatment among men (odds ratio [OR] 2.4, 95% confi dence interval [CI] 1.1-5.2) and hepatitis C virus seropositivity among women (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.4-7.9). HHV-8 association with antischistosomal antibodies was not signifi cant for men (OR 2.1, 95% CI 0.3-16.4), but marginal for women (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.5). Our fi ndings suggest salivary and possible nosocomial HHV-8 transmission in rural Egypt.

Gender Differences in Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Infection in a Population with Schistosomiasis in Rural China

“…However, when analyzed by gender, KSHV seroprevalence was higher in subjects with than without schistosomal infection in males (8.4% vs 2.8%, OR: 3.170, 95% CI: 1.501–6.694, p=0.002) but not in females (OR: 0.844, 95% CI: 0.493–1.446, p = 0.537) (Table 3). These results are in contrast to those of a previous study showing marginal association of KSHV seroprevalence with schistosomal infection in females but not males in rural Egypt (10). In a multivariable analysis, similar results were also obtained.…”

“…It was shown in a recent study conducted in rural Egypt that schistosomal infection could increase susceptibility to KSHV infection at relatively low exposure to the virus (10). This work also found a 2-fold increase in KSHV seroprevalence in persons who had schistosomal antibodies.…”

“…Exposure to bites from blood-sucking insects has been proposed as a cofactor in some undeveloped countries (9). A recent study has shown that KSHV association with antischistosomal antibodies was not significant for men but marginal for women (10). As many as 65 million people in China are threatened by schistosomiasis among which 726,112 people are already infected by S. japonicum (11).…”

Socio‐economic and other correlates of Kaposi sarcoma‐associated herpesvirus seroprevalence among older adults in Sicily

“…Among the elderly of northern Italy, seroprevalence was 2.2-fold higher in close proximity to the Po River or its tributaries 11. A possible enhancing role for T-helper type 2 (Th2)-predominant immune responses was noted in Egypt, where anti-schistosomal antibodies were associated with a 1.5-fold significantly increased risk of KSHV seroprevalence among women, and with a 2-fold non-significantly increased risk among men 9. Among children in Uganda, KSHV seropositivity was associated with low socioeconomic status, and use of surface water or a communal standpipe in lieu of private tap water 4…”

Kaposiʼs sarcoma-associated herpesvirus transmission and primary infection

“…Source of drinking water has been shown to be a risk factor for KSHV infection in Uganda [3] and it has been postulated that this may be due to exposure to intestinal parasites and resulting immunosuppression. A recent report from Egypt, however, was unable to demonstrate such an association [37]. We recently conducted a screen of natural products from Kaposi's sarcoma endemic regions and showed that crude plant extracts could cause KSHV reactivation in vitro suggesting that environmental exposure to such plants via traditional medicine, horticultural practices or basket making may result in increased shedding of KSHV [38].…”