Quantitation of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) antibody in patients transfused with HHV-8-seropositive blood

• Published in: Transfusion (Philadelphia, Pa.) Pa.), 2009-10, Vol.49 (10), p.2208-2213
• Main Authors: Fowlkes, Ashley L., Brown, Cedric, Amin, Minal M., Roback, John D., Downing, Robert, Nzaro, Esau, Mermin, Jonathan, Hladik, Wolfgang, Dollard, Sheila C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Antibodies, Viral - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood. Blood and plasma substitutes. Blood products. Blood cells. Blood typing. Plasmapheresis. Apheresis; Emergency and intensive cardiocirculatory care. Cardiogenic shock. Coronary intensive care; Herpesviridae Infections - immunology; Herpesviridae Infections - transmission; Herpesvirus 8, Human - immunology; Herpesvirus 8, Human - isolation & purification; Human herpesvirus 8; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Medical sciences; Transfusion Reaction; Transfusions. Complications. Transfusion reactions. Cell and gene therapy; Uganda
• ISSN: 0041-1132; 1537-2995
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2009.02269.x

BACKGROUND: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV‐8) is endemic in Uganda where seroprevalence is approximately 40%. In a previous study, Ugandan patients receiving blood transfusions had multiple serum specimens collected for 6 months after transfusion to monitor for HHV‐8 infection. It was observed that several HHV‐8–seronegative patients were unexpectedly HHV‐8 seropositive after blood transfusion. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This study measured HHV‐8 antibody in serially collected serum specimens from 542 patients who received transfusions and evaluated the risk of HHV‐8 infection as a function of HHV‐8 antibody levels in the donors. RESULTS: HHV‐8 antibody was observed in 52% of patients transfused with HHV‐8–seropositive blood in amounts that corresponded with their donor's antibody titer and waned within 40 days. Higher levels of passive HHV‐8 antibody in patients who received transfusions appeared to be associated with a lower risk of HHV‐8 infection. CONCLUSION: The source of transient antibody in patients who received transfusions was determined to be the transfused blood. Donors with higher HHV‐8 antibody titers may have been less likely to have infectious virus in the blood.