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Primary gamma-herpesviral infection in Zambian children

Veenu Minhas1, Brad P Brayfield, Kay L Crabtree

  • 1Nebraska Center for Virology and School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583 USA.

BMC Infectious Diseases
|May 14, 2010
PubMed

Insights

HHV-8 and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections in Zambian children are largely asymptomatic and not correlated. HIV infection is a significant risk factor for both HHV-8 and EBV acquisition in early childhood.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Viral Immunology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are common childhood infections, but their early clinical presentations and co-infection patterns remain unclear.
  • Zambia is an area endemic for HHV-8, making it a key location to study these viral infections in young children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the natural history, clinical manifestations, and risk factors of HHV-8 and EBV infections in 12-month-old Zambian children.
  • To investigate potential correlations between HHV-8 and EBV infections in early childhood.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 677 Zambian infants aged 12 months were assessed for HHV-8 and EBV serostatus.
  • Logistic regression analysis was used to identify associations between socio-economic status, clinical manifestations, and viral serostatus.

Main Results:

  • EBV seroprevalence (58.9%) was significantly higher than HHV-8 (13.4%).
  • HIV-1 infected children had a higher risk of HHV-8 infection (OR 3.69). Maternal HIV-1 infection increased EBV acquisition risk (OR 1.86) but not HHV-8.
  • Rash was marginally associated with primary HHV-8 and EBV infection.

Conclusions:

  • HHV-8 and EBV infections are not correlated in early childhood; infection with one does not increase susceptibility to the other.
  • Primary HHV-8 and EBV infections in this population are often asymptomatic, presenting potentially as rash.
  • Maternal and child HIV infection are significant risk factors for acquiring HHV-8 and EBV.
Abstract

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