Detection of antibodies to human herpesvirus 8 in Italian children: evidence for horizontal transmission

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), also known as Kaposi´s sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV), has been shown to be the causative agent for Kaposi´s sarcoma (KS) and to be more prevalent in populations or risk groups at increased risk for KS. HHV-8 infection is rare in children from the US and the UK, but has been reported in African children. In this study we examine HHV-8 infection in children from Italy, a country with an elevated prevalence of HHV-8 in adults and high socio-economic conditions.