@article{3145227,
    title = "Seroepidemiology of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection in injecting
drug users",
    author = "Zavitsanou, A. and Malliori, M. and Sypsa, V. and Petrodaskalaki, M. and and Psichogiou, M. and Rokka, C. and Giannopoulos, A. and Kalapothaki, V. and and Whitby, D. and Hatzakis, A.",
    journal = "Epidemiology and Infection",
    year = "2010",
    volume = "138",
    number = "3",
    pages = "403-408",
    publisher = "Cambridge University Press",
    issn = "0950-2688, 1469-4409",
    doi = "10.1017/S0950268809990628",
    keywords = "HHV-8; injecting drug users (IDUs); risk factors; seroepidemiology",
    abstract = "A cross-sectional study was carried out in injecting drug users (IDUs)
from Greece to assess the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8)
and to identify potentially associated risk factors. A total of 288 IDUs
were tested for K8.1 antibodies to HHV-8 lytic antigen. Associations
between HHV-8 serostatus and potential risk factors were examined Using
univariate and multivarlate logistic regression analysis. Seroprevalence
of HHV-8 was 24.3% (95% CI 19.5-29.7), increasing with age from 19.4%
in those aged <30 years to 52.9% in those aged >= 40 years (P for trend
= 0.003). No statistically significant associations between
HHV-8-positive status and gender, educational level, age at first drug
injection, needle sharing, number of imprisonments, complications from
drug overdose, HIV and HCV were observed. In the multivariate logistic
regression analysis, older age (>= 40 vs. <40 years, OR 3.30, 95 % CI
1.14-9.56) and report of septicaemia/abscess (yes vs. no, OR 1.80, 95%
CI 1.01-3.18) were each independently associated with higher HHV-8
seroprevalence. HHV-8 is highly prevalent in the IDU Population in
Greece. The independent association between HHV-8 and reported abscess
or septicaemia supports the hypothesis that poor hygiene conditions in
the setting of drug injection may contribute to HHV-8 transmission."
}