Increased prevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus in the Kaposi's sarcoma-endemic area of Western Kenya in 1981-2000

Abstract

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) had been endemic in Africa before the appearance of human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) in 1985. Incidence of African KS has increased over the time and the risk of contracting KS become greater in HIV-positive as opposed to HIV-negative individuals. KS specimens were collected in 1981-2000 from 228 surgical cases originating from a KS-endemic area of Western Kenya and examined for Kaposi?s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) by an immunoperoxidase assay. The results showed that the specimens from 1981-1985 (before the HIV epidemic) were KSHV-positive in 10.3% in contrast to the KSHV positivity of 50.1-63.5% in 1986-2000. The linear increase of KSHV positivity in 1981-2000 was statistically significant. The most plausible explanation for the increased prevalence of KSHV in KS cases is that the endemic KS has changed to the epidemic one.