Molecular Detection and Genotyping of Human Herpes Virus 8 in a sample of Iraqi Blood Donors

Abstract

Human herpes virus-8 (HHV-8) infection has increased recently in Arabic countries. HHV-8 in healthy persons does not necessarily cause life-threatening infection, and however, it causes a more severe infection among immunocompromised patients. The distribution of HHV-8 genotypes varies according to ethnicity and depends on the geographic region prior rapid development of global travel. A cross sectional prospective study included a hundred healthy blood donor samples with a mean age of (36.60±10.381), 81% were positive for molecular detection of HHV-8 DNA. PCR results for HHV-8 were strongly related with risk factors such as the number of sexual relations, previous surgeries, blood transfusion, dental operation, and the number of blood donations. In this study, genotypes (A, B, C and D) were detected, largely associated with blood donors residences and distributed to areas of Iraq through a map. Genotype A comprised 28 (34.6%) of blood donors and for genotype C it was 16 (19.8%) and both genotypes were found to be the predominant genotypes, followed by genotype B of 7 (8.7%) and D of 2 (2.5%), the latter is included into Mixed genotypes of 8 (9.9%), whereas, 22 (27.2%) were undetermined genotypes. Efforts should focus on these findings, which may indicate that Iraq is an endemic region of HHV-8 infection.