Human herpesvirus 8 genomes and seroprevalence in United States blood donors

  1. Lirong Qu,
  2. Frank Jenkins,
  3. Darrell J. Triulzi

Article first published online: 15 JAN 2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2009.02559.x

Issue

Transfusion

Transfusion

Volume 50, Issue 5, pages 1050–1056, May 2010

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How to Cite

Qu, L., Jenkins, F. and Triulzi, D. J. (2010), Human herpesvirus 8 genomes and seroprevalence in United States blood donors. Transfusion, 50: 1050–1056. doi: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2009.02559.x

Author Information

  1. From the Institute for Transfusion Medicine and the Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

*Lirong Qu, MD, PhD, Institute for Transfusion Medicine, 3636 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh PA, 15213; e-mail: lqu@itxm.org.

  1. This research was supported by a grant from National Blood Foundation.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 28 APR 2010
  2. Article first published online: 15 JAN 2010
  3. Received for publication September 21, 2009; revision received November 9, 2009, and accepted November 10, 2009.

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BACKGROUND: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is a gamma-herpesvirus that causes Kaposi's sarcoma. The prevalence of HHV-8 genomes in US blood donors has not been systemically studied.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A sensitive and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was used to detect HHV-8 DNA from purified CD19+ B lymphocytes from randomly selected US whole blood donors. Cellular target for the GAPDH gene was used to quantify cell-equivalent DNA. HHV-8 PCR was run in duplicate for each donor specimen along with an HHV-8 genomic copy standard. HHV-8 antibodies were detected by an indirect immunofluorescence assay.

RESULTS: Specimens were obtained from 962 blood donors. DNA from more than 3 × 105 B-cell equivalents were obtained from 684 donors. No HHV-8 DNA was detected from any of the blood donor specimens. For the 684 donors, HHV-8 genomes were not detected in the DNA equivalent of 3 × 105 to 6 × 105 CD19+ B cells with real-time PCR, which has a detection limit of eight copies (95% confidence interval, 0-3/684). Negative results from the remaining 220 donors were potentially confounded by insufficient input DNA into the PCR procedures. Antibodies to HHV-8 were detected in 7.3% (70/962) of the donors. HHV-8 genomes were not detected from 40 of 70 HHV-8–seropositive donor B-cell DNA samples.

CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the prevalence of detectable HHV-8 genomes in healthy blood donors is very low.

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