Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications
Accessibility Remediation
If you are unable to use this item in its current form due to accessibility barriers, you may request remediation through our remediation request form.
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
7-1-2003
Abstract
The letter by Sarmati et al. [1] presents data indicating that they were unable to find a significant correlation between human herpesvirus (HHV)–8 seropositivity and a history of spontaneous abortion in a group of 245 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1–seronegative women but that they did observe a correlation between high HHV-8 antibody titers (≥1:1280) and spontaneous abortion. Although it is possible that an increased risk of spontaneous abortion may be associated with active infection with HHV-8, at this point there is not enough evidence to support such an association. Given that several human herpes viruses are well-known agents of fetal and/or perinatal infection and that primary maternal herpesvirus infection prior to 20 weeks of gestation in some women has been associated with spontaneous abortion [2], and given the dearth of information about the clinical manifestations of HHV-8 infection, Sarmati et al. are correct in suggesting that this question should be investigated further.
Comments
Published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases 2003;188:174–5. Copyright © 2003 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Used by permission.