Infection with human herpesvirus-8 and its correlation with hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus markers among rural populations in Cambodia

Among 164 individuals in a rural population of Cambodia, antibodies to human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) were found among 56.6% of the women and 50.6% of the men. Seropositivity for HHV-8 tended to decrease with age (P < 0.001) and was not associated with exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) or HCV. Human herpesvirus-8, which shows a high rate of infection during childhood, does not seem to have the same pattern of transmission as HBV. This suggests very early acquisition of infection with HHV-8 in Cambodia.