Predictors of seropositivity for human herpesvirus type 8 in patients with mild cirrhosis

The high seroprevalence of human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) in moderate or severe cirrhotics appears to be associated with male sex, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, alcoholism, and disease severity. The status of HHV-8 infection in mild cirrhotics remains unclear. Plasma samples collected from 93 mild cirrhotics and 93 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were analyzed for HHV-8 antibody and HHV-8 DNA. Mild cirrhotics had higher seropositivity for HHV-8 antibodies than healthy controls (P=0.0001). Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that an age ≥55 years (odds ratio (OR) 2.88, P=0.02), hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (OR 3.42, P=0.01), and hepatitis activity (OR 4.10, P=0.004) were associated with HHV-8 seropositivity in cirrhotics. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that age ≥55 years (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.92, P=0.04) and hepatitis activity (aOR 3.55, P=0.005) were independent factors. The rate of hepatitis activity was higher in HCV-infected than in HBV-infected patients (P<0.0001) and in women than in men (P=0.0001). Cirrhotics who were seropositive for HHV-8 or HCV or had hepatitis activity were significantly older (P=0.02, <0.0001 and <0.0001, respectively). Plasma samples from all participants were negative for HHV-8 DNA. HHV-8 antibody titers in mild cirrhotics also markedly exceeded those in controls (P<0.0001), as did those in patients ≥55 years old vs. younger patients (P=0.01), those in patients with vs. without HCV infection (P=0.0008), and those in patients with vs. without hepatitis activity (P=0.0005). Mild cirrhotics had high HHV-8 seroprevalence and HCV infection, and, in particular, old age and hepatitis activity were predictors.