Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection in HIV/AIDS patients from Santos, Brazil : Seroprevalence and associated factors

The goal of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection among HIV-infected individuals from Brazil and the associated risk factors. A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 497 HIV/AIDS outpatients attending the local AIDS Reference Center in Santos (southeastern Brazil) between February 1997 and January 1998 had serum samples screened for anti-HHV-8 antibodies. Patients were considered seropositive whenever reactivity was observed in at least 1 of 3 tests (immunofluorescence assays for latent nuclear and lytic antigens and orf65 recombinant antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Overall HHV-8 seroprevalence was 13.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 10.9 –17.6). HHV-8 coinfection was significantly more frequent in men (18.7%; 95% CI 14.1–23.4) than in women (7.8%; 95% CI 4.2–11.3) (P <0.001). According to the mode of HIV acquisition among males seroprevalence of HHV-8 infection was significantly higher in men who have sex with men when compared with the other groups (32.4% vs. 10.0% P <0.001). Multivariate logistic regression revealed HHV-8 infection among men to be independently associated with sexual orientation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 5.5 for homosexuals; AOR 2.8 for bisexuals). No significant risk factor for HHV-8 infection could be demonstrated for HIV-infected women in this cohort This study provides further evidence that men who have sex with men are at higher risk of HHV-8 infection and shows that the epidemiologic pattern of this infection among HIV/AIDS patients from Santos Brazil is similar to that described in other countries with a low incidence of Kaposi’s sarcoma. (authors)