PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Human herpesvirus 8 is associated with neoplastic diseases in the immunocompromised host, including Kaposi's sarcoma, multicentric Castleman disease and primary effusion lymphoma. Acquisition and control of human herpesvirus 8 infection have not yet been fully elucidated. This review focuses on the most recent findings on human herpesvirus 8 transmission. RECENT FINDINGS: Horizontal transmission by saliva appears the most common route not only in families in endemic regions, but also among high-risk groups in Western countries. Vertical, sexual, and blood and transplant-related transmission, however, remain of significant concern worldwide. Novel approaches to standardize and optimize the assessment of human herpesvirus 8 infection have been reported. New insights on the host immune cell mechanisms devoted to the control of human herpesvirus 8 infection have also been presented. SUMMARY: The increasing knowledge about the routes of human herpesvirus 8 transmission, which appear now more similar to those of other more ubiquitous human herpesviruses (i.e. Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus), the growing efforts in improving laboratory diagnosis and the caution in the research of new biological associations are the major recent findings. They constitute a fundamental background for directing more appropriate future research and achieving more stringent evidence useful for the control of human herpesvirus 8 spread and for the management of human herpesvirus 8-related diseases. © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
Pica, F., Volpi, A. (2007). Transmission of human herpesvirus 8: An update. CURRENT OPINION IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES, 20(2), 152-156 [10.1097/QCO.0b013e3280143919].
Transmission of human herpesvirus 8: An update
PICA, FRANCESCA;VOLPI, ANTONIO
2007-01-01
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Human herpesvirus 8 is associated with neoplastic diseases in the immunocompromised host, including Kaposi's sarcoma, multicentric Castleman disease and primary effusion lymphoma. Acquisition and control of human herpesvirus 8 infection have not yet been fully elucidated. This review focuses on the most recent findings on human herpesvirus 8 transmission. RECENT FINDINGS: Horizontal transmission by saliva appears the most common route not only in families in endemic regions, but also among high-risk groups in Western countries. Vertical, sexual, and blood and transplant-related transmission, however, remain of significant concern worldwide. Novel approaches to standardize and optimize the assessment of human herpesvirus 8 infection have been reported. New insights on the host immune cell mechanisms devoted to the control of human herpesvirus 8 infection have also been presented. SUMMARY: The increasing knowledge about the routes of human herpesvirus 8 transmission, which appear now more similar to those of other more ubiquitous human herpesviruses (i.e. Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus), the growing efforts in improving laboratory diagnosis and the caution in the research of new biological associations are the major recent findings. They constitute a fundamental background for directing more appropriate future research and achieving more stringent evidence useful for the control of human herpesvirus 8 spread and for the management of human herpesvirus 8-related diseases. © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.