Human herpesvirus 8 seroprevalence among children and adolescents in the United States

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2008 Jul;27(7):661-4. doi: 10.1097/INF.0b013e3181691740.

Abstract

We measured human herpesvirus-8 antibodies (K8.1 and orf73 enzyme immunoassays) in 4166 children, aged 6-17 years, in a U.S. cross-sectional survey. Forty-six were K8.1 seropositive (weighted seroprevalence: 1.1%) and 20 were orf73 seropositive (weighted seroprevalence 0.4%). K8.1 seropositivity was associated with asthma (odds ratio: 6.3; 95% confidence interval: 2.4-16.9) and hay fever (3.5; 1.1-11.0), and there were borderline associations with measures of crowding and low socioeconomic status.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Asthma
  • Child
  • Crowding
  • Female
  • Herpesviridae Infections / epidemiology*
  • Herpesviridae Infections / virology*
  • Herpesvirus 8, Human / immunology
  • Herpesvirus 8, Human / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Risk Factors
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • United States / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral