HUMAN-HERPESVIRUS-8 AS A POTENTIAL SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED AGENT IN HONDURAS

The seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) was studied in 326 h uman immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and -negative persons from Honduras; women constituted 77% (n = 251) of the subjects, Sera were t ested for lytic HHV-8 antibodies by an IFA, and positive samples were confirmed by a radioimmunoprecipitation assay. Of the 326 persons test ed, 58 (17.8%) had HHV-8 antibodies, Among the HN-infected women, 22.7 % were seropositive; 11.3% of the HIV-negative women were seropositive . HHV-8 seroprevalence was almost four times higher in HIV-positive fe male commercial sex workers (36%) than in HIV-negative female non-comm ercial sex workers (9.9%; odds ratio = 3.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.1-13; P = 0.01), suggesting that commercial sex work is a risk facto r for HHV-8 infection. In the men studied, the overall HHV-8 seropreva lence was 22,6%, with a seropositivity rate of 28% for HIV-positive me n compared with 12% for HIV-negative men.