HIGH PREVALENCE OF HERPESVIRUS 8 IN SARDINIA: A possible role of Herpesvirus 8 in the development of diabetes mellitus type 2

E. Piras;G. Palmieri;MADEDDU, MARIA ANTONIETTA;P. Contini;POMPEI, RAFFAELLO;INGIANNI, ANGELA

2014-01-01

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Abstract

Human lymphotropic Herpesviruses, including Epstein Barr (EBV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpesvirus 6 (HHV6), Herpesvirus 7 (HHV7), and Herpesvirus 8 (HHV8), are responsible for a variety of human diseases, caused by primary infection or by virus reactivation in immunosuppressive conditions. HHV8 is etiologically associated to Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) and to other disorders in immunosuppressed subjects. Its prevalence varies geographically, and some studies have reported an increasing presence of HHV8 infection in the general population and, in particular, in Sicily, Sardinia, and the Po river valley. Type 2 diabetes (DM2) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Susceptibility to DM2 is thought to be related to both genetic and environmental factors, possibly including infection by chronic stressors of the immune system, such as herpesviruses. The present study is aimed at verifying the frequency of lymphotropic herpesviruses in DM2 in southern Sardinia, and also whether it can be considered an additional risk factor for DM2 patients.