Serologic and molecular evidence of human herpesvirus 8 activation in renal transplant recipients

This study was designed to determine whether there is serologic or molecula r evidence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) activation in renal transplant pa tients, an immunocompromised population at risk for development of Kaposi's sarcoma, Indirect immunofluorescence for detection of HHV-8 serum antibody and Southern blot polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of viral D NA in whole blood were used. Seroprevalence and geometric mean titer (GMT) were significantly increased in the transplant group compared with healthy adults and were comparable to those in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-p ositive adults (transplant patients, 50% [GMT 1:210]; healthy adults, 7% [G MT 1:44]; HIV-positive patients, 73% [GMT 1:172]), Viral DNA was present in the blood of some renal transplant patients (3/33 PCR-positive) but in non e of 20 healthy adults. Thus, there is both serologic and molecular evidenc e of HHV-8 activation in the renal transplant population compared with heal thy adults (P<.01). The serologic results approximate those obtained for HI V-positive adults.