Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
07:02
Identifying Dysregulated Genes Induced by Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV)
Published on: September 14, 2010
Infection with human herpesvirus type 8 and Kaposi's sarcoma in Sardinia
D Serraino1, D Cerimele, P Piselli
1UOC Epidemiologia and Biostatistica, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy. serrainod@cro.it
Infection
|February 28, 2006
Summary
Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV8) infection prevalence was similar in two Sardinian provinces, but classic Kaposi
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Viral Oncology
- Public Health
Background:
- Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV8) is associated with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS).
- Geographic variations in HHV8 prevalence and KS incidence suggest cofactor influence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate HHV8 infection prevalence and classic KS incidence in two Sardinian provinces.
- To investigate the relationship between HHV8 seropositivity and KS risk.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 297 hospitalized individuals aged 50+.
- HHV8 antibody testing and calculation of seroprevalence and KS incidence rates.
- Analysis stratified by age, sex, and province (Sassari vs. Cagliari).
Main Results:
- HHV8 seroprevalence was 32.0% in Sassari and 30.0% in Cagliari.
- KS incidence among HHV8-positive individuals was twice as high in Sassari compared to Cagliari.
- KS risk was higher in men than women in both provinces.
Conclusions:
- While HHV8 prevalence was similar, KS risk differed between Sardinian provinces.
- Environmental or host cofactors likely influence KS development in HHV8-infected individuals.
- Geographic disparities highlight the complex etiology of Kaposi's sarcoma.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
01:03Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
01:28Herpes
Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV‑1) is a widespread pathogen responsible for orolabial lesions. It is an enveloped, double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) virus belonging to the family Herpesviridae. Once the virus infects a host cell, its double‑stranded DNA genome is delivered into the nucleus, where a coordinated cascade of immediate‑early, early, and late gene expression directs viral DNA replication, structural protein synthesis, and virion assembly. After primary infection of epithelial cells, HSV-1...
01:27Cytomegalovirus Disease
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is caused by human cytomegalovirus, a double-stranded DNA virus of the Herpesviridae family. While primary CMV infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, the virus can cause severe disease in neonates and immunocompromised patients. CMV is the most common cause of congenital viral infection in the United States, and a major pathogen in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.CMV is transmitted via bodily fluids, sexual...
01:23Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection primarily caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), though herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is increasingly implicated in genital infections, particularly among younger populations. Transmission occurs mainly through sexual contact, with asymptomatic viral shedding serving as a major route of spread. This characteristic makes HSV-2 difficult to control at a population level, as individuals may unknowingly transmit the virus even in the...
01:27Cryptococcal Meningitis
Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...