Seroprevalence and risk factors for human herpesvirus 8 infection, rural Egypt

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% confidence 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 significant 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 findings suggest salivary and possible nosocomial HHV-8 transmission in rural Egypt.