Elevated seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 among men with prostate cancer

Background. To investigate any epidemiological association between human herpesvirus (HHV)-8 and prostate cancer, we determined the prevalence of HHV-8 seropositivity among prostate cancer case and control subjects in the United States and Trinidad and Tobago. Methods. Antibodies against HHV-8 were detected in 2 independent laboratories using either indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) or a combination of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and IFA. Results. Among 138 Tobago men with prostate cancer, HHV-8 seroprevalence was 39.9%-significantly higher than that among 140 age-matched control subjects (22.9%;; odds ratio [ OR], 2.24; 95% confidence Pp. 003 interval [CI], 1.29 - 3.90). Among 100 US men with prostate cancer, seroprevalence was 20% - significantly higher than that of 177 blood donors (5.1%;; OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 1.91 - 11.65) and higher than that of 99 men Pp. 001 with cancer not related to HHV-8 (13%;; 95% CI, 0.77 - 3.54). Pp. 253 Conclusions. HHV-8 seropositivity is elevated among men with prostate cancer compared with control subjects, which suggests that HHV-8 plays a role in the development of prostate cancer.