02056nas a2200193   4500008003900000245010700039210006900146260000800215490000700223520147400230100001601704700001501720700001301735700001701748700001701765700001601782700001501798856004901813       2005                          d00aPossible transmission of human herpesvirus-8 by blood transfusion in a historical United States cohort0 aPossible transmission of human herpesvirus8 by blood transfusion  cApr0 v453 aBACKGROUND:  Transmission of human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) by blood transfusion in the United States appears plausible but has not been demonstrated. The objective of this study was to evaluate evidence of HHV-8 transmission via blood transfusion. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  Serum specimens were collected before and 6 months after surgery from 406 patients who enrolled in the Frequency of Agents Communicable by Transfusion study (FACTS) in Baltimore, Maryland, from 1986 to 1990. The change in HHV-8 serostatus was measured by a lytic-antigen immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS:  Of the 284 patients who were initially HHV-8-seronegative and who received transfusions, 2 seroconverted, 1 with a postsurgery antibody titer of 1:160 and the other with a titer of 1:1280. These patients received 12 and 13 units of blood, respectively. None of the HHV-8-seronegative patients who did not receive transfusions seroconverted. If seroconversion was caused by transfused blood, the transmission risk per transfused component was 0.082 percent. CONCLUSIONS:  This is the first report suggesting transmission of HHV-8 via blood components in the United States. Because linked donor specimens were not available, other routes of transmission cannot be excluded; however, the evidence is consistent with infection being caused by transfusion. Future studies should include contemporary US populations with linked donor specimens and populations at higher risk for HHV-8 infection.1 aDollard, SC1 aNelson, KE1 aNess, PM1 aStambolis, V1 aKuehnert, MJ1 aPellett, PE1 aCannon, MJ  uhttps://www.notifylibrary.org/reference/4797