KSHV DNA viremia correlates with low CD4+ cell count in Italian males at the time of diagnosis of HIV infection.

Abstract

To evaluate the relevance and the virological and immunological markers of Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus 8 (KSHV) viremia in Italian male patients at the time of diagnosis of infection with HIV-1, 481 men infected with HIV were recruited consecutively. The presence of KSHV DNA was evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and in plasma and correlated with demographic and viro-immunological parameters. Seventy-four patients had KSHV DNA detected in PBMCs. By univariate analysis, the presence of KSHV DNA was associated significantly with unprotected homosexual relationships (P=0.003) and it was significantly higher in patients with CD4+ cell <350 (P=0.025). By multivariate analysis, homosexual relationships were associated independently with KSHV DNA in PBMCs (OR: 3.25; 95% CI: 1.1-9.7; P=0.035). Among the 74 patients with KSHV DNA detected in PBMCs, plasma samples from 60 were analyzed and 33 were positive for KSHV DNA. The CD4+ cell counts and percentages were significantly lower in patients with KSHV DNA in both PBMCs and plasma as compared to patients with only KSHV DNA in PBMCs (P=0.006 and P=0.019, respectively). Among the patients with KSHV DNA detected in PBMCs, all 13 patients with CD4+ cells count <200 had detectable levels of KSHV in their plasma. By multivariate analysis adjusted for the epidemiologic and virological parameters, low CD4+ cell count was the only independent variable associated with the presence of KSHV DNA in plasma (OR, 0.001; 95% CI: <0.001-0.001; P=0.03). In HIV-positive antiretroviral therapy-naïve males, KSHV active replication as detected by KSHV DNA in plasma was associated significantly with low CD4+ cell count.

• Authors: Saverio G Parisi, Caterina Boldrin, Samantha Andreis, Roberto Ferretto, Rodolfo Fuser, Marina Malena, Vinicio Manfrin, Sandro Panese, Renzo Scaggiante, Luca Dori, Loredana Sarmati, Maria A Biasolo, Emanuele Nicastri, Massimo Andreoni, Mario Cruciani, Giorgio Palù
• Journal: Journal of medical virology (J Med Virol) Vol. 83 Issue 3 Pg. 384-90 (Mar 2011) ISSN: 1096-9071 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21264857 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Chemical References

• DNA, Viral

Topics

• AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections (immunology)
• CD4 Lymphocyte Count
• DNA, Viral (analysis)
• HIV Infections (complications, immunology)
• HIV-1 (immunology)
• Herpesviridae Infections (complications, immunology)
• Herpesvirus 8, Human
• Humans
• Italy
• Male
• Viral Load
• Viremia (complications, immunology)