Serodiagnosis of Human Herpesvirus 8 in Women with Breast Cancer
Dania Mudar Shakir1, Shatha F. Abdullah2
and Inas K Sharquie21Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq.
2Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
Corresponding Author E-mail: shthabdullah@yahoo.com
Abstract: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is a common virus in the Mediterranean region. It has been linked to a number of malignancies, and it is believed to be the causative agent in certain cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution and possible association between HHV-8 and breast carcinoma, and to assess the risk factors associated with an HHV-8 infection. A total of 90 blood samples were collected from the study group. Forty-five of these patients were recently diagnosed with breast cancer and presented at the Oncology Centre in Basrah, Iraq, with ages ranging from 28 to 68 years old. Forty-five apparently healthy females matched for age and free from malignancy made up the control group, with ages ranging from 25 to 70 years old. The HHV-8 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody detection was done using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with previously stored sera. HHV-8 was detected in 31.1% of the women with breast cancer, and a statistically significant difference was determined between the breast cancer patients and the control group. The highest HHV-8 seropositivity (17.8%) was seen in the 51–60 years old age group, and statistically significant differences were found between the patient and control groups with regard to the different age groups. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the most common type of breast malignancy in the women, with the majority of the patients classified as stage II. The histopathological types had a significant effect on the outcome proportion of the HHV-8 IgG antibodies. of the 14 breast cancer patients with blood transfusion histories, 6.7% were HHV-8 IgG antibody positive, indicating a significant difference with regard to the blood transfusion history. Diabetes mellitus was determined to be one risk factor associated with a high seropositivity of HHV-8, and it occurred at a rate of 13.3% among those women with breast cancer (p<0.05). In addition, it was found that the sexual route may be a significant risk factor. However, the HHV-8 infected breast cancer patients showed no statistically significant association with the coexistence of breast cancer markers. Based on the results of this study, female breast cancer may be associated with HHV-8. A blood transfusion history, diabetes mellitus and marriage were found to be risk factors for acquired HHV-8 infections in breast cancer patients.
Keywords: Breast Cancer Human Herpesvirus 8; Back to TOC