Seroprevalence of Human Herpes Virus 8 among Blood Donors in National Blood Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Aims: In South East Asia, there is no regional or local HHV-8 seroprevalence data on blood donors. Thus this study was aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HHV-8 among blood donors in National Blood Centre, Kuala Lumpur (NBCKL) and to test its association with donor socio demographic and transfusion transmitted infection (TTI) seropositivity.

Study Design: A cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: National Blood Centre, Kuala Lumpur (NBCKL). Duration of the study from January 2008 to June 2009.

Methodology: A total of 761 serum samples were collected of which 670 from blood donors who were non-reactive for TTIs while 91 were from blood donors who were reactive for TTIs were tested for HHV 8 using BIOTRIN HHV-8IgG EIA kit and BIOTRIN HHV-8IgG Immuno fluorescent assay (IFA).

Results: The HHV-8 seroprevalence among blood donors in NBCKL was 1.3% (10/761) of which 0.9% (6/670) among healthy blood donors and 4.4% (4/91) among TTI seropositive donors. TTI seropositivity (p=0.023) and gender (p=0.018) shows a significant risk factors contributed to HHV-8 seropositivity. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C were associated with an increased risk of HHV-8 seropositivity (OR 6.8; 95% CI, 0 to 0.2 and OR 10.0; 95% CI, 0.1 to 0.4 respectively).

Conclusion: HHV-8 has a low seroprevalance among blood donors in the NBCKL with a male predominance. A donor with seropositivity for TTI, is associated with a higher risk HHV-8 seropositivity.