Molecular Epidemiology of Human Herpes Virus Type 8 Among Patients with Compromised Immune System in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

INTRODUCTION: Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) is the main etiological agent of Kaposi’s sarcoma. This virus is frequently associated with immunocompromision. This study aimed to detect HHV-8 in people with compromised immune system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study that included 180 subjects: 179 HIV-infected patients and 1 patient with bullous pemphigoid. Blood samples were taken from all subjects, and swabs of lesions were then taken from individuals with symptoms of Kaposi’s sarcoma. Viral load and CD4(+) T lymphocytes count were performed for persons living with HIV and real-time PCR detection of HHV-8 DNA was performed in all subjects in the study. RESULTS: Among HIV-infected persons, 13.41% had a viral load of more than 10,000 copies/mL, and 22.91% had a CD4(+) T lymphocytes count of fewer than 350 cells/µL. A total of four (three HIV-1 infected patients and one patient with bullous pemphigoid) patients (2.22%) had apparent lesions of Kaposi’s sarcoma. In the plasmas and swabs from associated lesions, HHV-8 DNA was found in only two individuals, with an HHV-8 prevalence of 1.11% (2/180) with 0.55% (1/179) in an HIV-infected patient on antiretroviral therapy. CONCLUSION: These results exposing low prevalence levels of HHV-8 in HIV-infected patients could be due to the beneficial effect of antiretroviral drugs.