RESUMO

AIM: Saliva can play an important role in human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) transmission in endemic regions for Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Little is known about HHV-8 oral shedding in immunocompetent individuals from non-endemic regions for KS. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of HHV-8 salivary excretion among 59 healthy, immunocompetent individuals from São Paulo, Brazil, followed up weekly for 4 months, resulting in 16 saliva samples from each participant. Antibodies to HHV-8 latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) and lytic-phase antigens were investigated with immunofluorescence assays (IFA). HHV-8 DNA detection was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: All 59 individuals were seronegative to LANA and lytic antibodies. HHV-8 DNA was undetectable in saliva samples in 100% of the participants, totaling 944 samples and being consistently negative during the different periods of sampling, which lasted approximately 120 days. No sequences of HHV-8 DNA were detected in the saliva samples of healthy, immunocompetent adults by using real-time PCR, with the resulting data being consistent with IFA-based serological tests. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike other herpesviruses, HHV-8 is not excreted in the saliva of healthy individuals from non-endemic regions for KS.

Assuntos

Herpesvirus Humano 8/isolamento & purificação , Herpesvirus Humano 8/patogenicidade , Sarcoma de Kaposi/epidemiologia , Sarcoma de Kaposi/virologia , Actinas/metabolismo , Adulto , Anticorpos Antivirais , Antígenos Nucleares/genética , Antígenos Nucleares/imunologia , Antígenos Virais/genética , Antígenos Virais/imunologia , Brasil/epidemiologia , DNA Viral/isolamento & purificação , Feminino , Herpesvirus Humano 8/genética , Herpesvirus Humano 8/imunologia , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Proteínas Nucleares/genética , Proteínas Nucleares/imunologia , Projetos Piloto , Estudos Prospectivos , Saliva/virologia , Testes Sorológicos , Proteínas Virais/genética , Proteínas Virais/imunologia , Adulto Jovem

RESUMO

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is a gamma-herpesvirus and etiological agent of all forms of Kaposi sarcoma (KS). Saliva may play an important role in HHV-8 transmission in specific populations. Little is known about HHV-8 oral shedding pattern and the possible correlation with the HHV-8 serological profile and viremia. A prospective study was conducted of HHV-8 salivary excretion among human immunodeficiency virus HIV-seronegative (n = 47) and -seropositive (n = 44) homosexual men and HIV-seropositive women (n = 32) over a 6-month period with monthly HHV-8 serologies (immunofluorescence assays to identify antibodies to latent and lytic HHV-8 viral proteins, and a whole-virus HHV-8 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]), monthly HHV-8 DNA serum/plasma detection, and daily self-collected oral rinses for HHV-8-DNA detection using real-time polymerase chain reaction. HHV-8 seropositivity was 51.1%, 63.6%, and 37.5%, in the three studied groups. There was no case of HHV-8 DNA detection in serum/plasma. Intermittent detection of oral HHV-8 DNA was observed during 5.1% (110/2,160) of visits among 28% (18/64) of HHV-8-seropositive individuals, all of whom were males and HHV-8 ELISA seropositive. In immunologically controlled populations of Brazil, HHV-8 oral shedding was limited to HHV-8-seropositive men, occurred infrequently and intermittently, and was not linked to HHV-8 viremia, suggesting a limited potential for oral or blood transmission.