@article {4796,
	title = {Transmission of human herpesvirus 8 by blood transfusion},
	volume = {355},
	year = {2006},
	month = {Sep},
	abstract = {BACKGROUND:  Whether human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is transmissible by blood transfusion remains undetermined. We evaluated the risk of HHV-8 transmission by blood transfusion in Uganda, where HHV-8 is endemic. METHODS:  We enrolled patients in Kampala, Uganda, who had received blood transfusions between December 2000 and October 2001. Pretransfusion and multiple post-transfusion blood specimens from up to nine visits over a 6-month period were tested for HHV-8 antibody. We calculated the excess risk of seroconversion over time among recipients of HHV-8-seropositive blood as compared with recipients of seronegative blood. RESULTS:  Of the 1811 transfusion recipients enrolled, 991 were HHV-8-seronegative before transfusion and completed the requisite follow-up, 43\% of whom received HHV-8-seropositive blood and 57\% of whom received seronegative blood. HHV-8 seroconversion occurred in 41 of the 991 recipients. The risk of seroconversion was significantly higher among recipients of HHV-8-seropositive blood than among recipients of seronegative blood (excess risk, 2.8\%; P<0.05), and the increase in risk was seen mainly among patients in whom seroconversion occurred 3 to 10 weeks after transfusion (excess risk, 2.7\%; P=0.005), a result consistent with the transmission of the virus by transfusion. Blood units stored for up to 4 days were more often associated with seroconversion than those stored for more than 4 days (excess risk, 4.2\%; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:  This study provides strong evidence that HHV-8 is transmitted by blood transfusion. The risk may be diminished as the period of blood storage increases.},
	doi = {10.1056/NEJMoa055009},
	author = {Hladik, W and Dollard, SC and Mermin, J and Fowlkes, AL and Downing, R and Amin, MM and Banage, F and Nzaro, E and Kataaha, P and Dondero, TJ and Pellett, PE and Lackritz, EM}
}
