Test ID: HHV8
Human Herpesvirus-8 Antibody, IgG, Serum
Secondary ID 
A test code used for billing and in test definitions created prior to November 2011
NY State Approved Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.
Useful For Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful
Assessment of serostatus of organ transplant patients to Human Herpesvirus-8 before a procedure to evaluate risk for transmission of virus and subsequent development of Kaposi's sarcoma
Method Name A short description of the method used to perform the test
Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA)
Reporting Name A shorter/abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test; an abbreviated test name
Aliases Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching
Human Herpes Virus 8 (HHV-8)
Kaposi's Sarcoma
Specimen Type Describes the specimen type needed for testing
Specimen Required Defines the optimal specimen. This field describes the type of specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing. The volume allows automated processing, fastest throughput and, when indicated, repeat or reflex testing.
Container/Tube:
Preferred: Red top
Acceptable: Serum gel
Specimen Volume: 0.25 mL
Specimen Minimum Volume Defines the amount of specimen required to perform an assay once, including instrument and container dead space. Submitting the minimum specimen volume makes it impossible to repeat the test or perform confirmatory or perform reflex testing. In some situations, a minimum specimen volume may result in a QNS (quantity not sufficient) result, requiring a second specimen to be collected.
Reject Due To Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected
| Hemolysis | Mild OK; Gross reject |
| Lipemia | Mild OK; Gross reject |
| Icterus | NA |
| Other | NA |
Specimen Stability Information Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the laboratory. Alternate acceptable temperature(s) are also included.
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Serum | Refrigerated (preferred) | 14 days |
| Frozen | 14 days |
Clinical Information Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test
Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) infections are limited in the general population. The virus was first discovered in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) lesions and also is known as Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus.(1)
Endemic KS is common in sub-Saharan equatorial Africa, accounting for 10% to 17% of all adult malignancies. Elsewhere KS is rare, occurring primarily in Mediterranean and Eastern European adults. In the United States, KS primarily affects acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. Approximately 90% of KS tissues from AIDS patients contain HHV-8 DNA sequences. Sexual transmission of human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) may be possible since HHV-8 DNA sequences have been found in the semen of AIDS patients.
HHV-8 also is associated with transplantation-associated KS, which occurs in up to 5% of kidney transplant patients. Transmission of HHV-8 through renal allografts has been shown to be a risk factor for transplantation-associated KS.(3,6) Patients who are negative for antibodies to HHV-8 and receive transplanted organs from a donor who has antibodies to HHV-8 are at increased risk for the development of KS post transplantation.
HHV-8 also is associated with Bowen’s disease, a malignant squamous cell carcinoma; primary effusion lymphoma; Castleman's disease; and multiple myeloma.(1,4,5)
Reference Values Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.
Negative (reported as positive or negative)
Interpretation Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results
The IgG antibody seroprevalence rate in the normal population has not been established due to the fact that the human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) virus was only recently discovered. Data suggests that the seroprevalence rate in the general population is 5% to 28%.
HHV-8 IgG antibody titers of <1:40 in the immunofluorescent assay are considered negative.
A positive result indicates the presence of IgG class antibodies to HHV-8; the individual has been infected with this virus sometime in the past.
Cautions Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances
A serum specimen drawn during the acute phase of infection when only low levels of IgG are present may be negative by this procedure.
Patients with autoimmune diseases can have non specific positive reactions.
Supportive Data
Regamey et al. (6) found that among 220 renal transplant recipients-6.4% of whom were seropositive for antibodies to human herpesvirus-8 on the day of transplantation- 25 seroconverted within 1 year after transplantation. Kaposi's sarcoma developed in 2 of these patients. No cases of KS were detected among the 6.4% of patients (14/220) who were seropositive before transplantation and in whom the infection could have been reactivated after transplantation.
Clinical Reference Provides recommendations for further in-depth reading of a clinical nature
1. Chang Y, Cesarman E, Pessin MS, et al: Identification of herpesvirus-like DNA sequences in AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma. Science 1994;266:1865-1869
2. Belec L, Authier FJ, Mohamed AS, et al: Antibodies to human herpesvirus 8 in POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M protein, skin changes) syndrome with multicentric Castleman's disease. Clin Infect Dis 1999;28:678-679
3. Koelle DM, Huang ML, Chandran B, et al: Frequent detection of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (human herpesvirus 8) DNA in saliva of human immunodeficiency virus-infected men: clinical and immunologic correlates. J Infect Dis 1997;176:94-102
4. Oksenhendler E, Cazals-Hatem D, Schulz TF, et al: Transient angiolymphoid hyperplasia and Kaposi's sarcoma after primary infection with human herpesvirus 8 in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection. N Engl J Med 1998;338:1585-1590
5. Frances C, Mouquet C, Calvez V: Human herpesvirus 8 and renal transplantation. N Engl J Med 1999;340: 1045-1046
6. Regamey N, Tamm M, Wernli M, et al: Transmission of human herpesvirus 8 infection from renal-transplant donors to recipients. N Engl J Med 1998;339:1358-1363
Method Description Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference
Test sera that are positive for human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) IgG antibody will show diffuse to restricted staining of the infected cells as observed in the IgG-positive control serum. Indirect immunofluorescence assay using the Kaposi's sarcoma-1 cell line infected with HHV-8 is reacted with serum from the patient to detect specific antibodies to the virus. The HHV-8 IgG positive control serum should show diffuse to restricted apple-green staining of infected cells. The uninfected cells in the same well should be orange/red from counterstain. The negative control serum should only show orange/red colored cells from counterstain. (Package insert: HHV-8 IgG IFA. Advanced Biotechnologies, Columbia, MD)
Day(s) and Time(s) Test Performed Outlines the days and times the test is performed. This field reflects the day and time the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time required before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means assays are performed several times during the day.
Wednesday; 9 a.m.
Analytic Time Defines the amount of time it takes the laboratory to setup and perform the test. This is defined in number of days. The shortest interval of time expressed is "same day/1 day," which means the results may be available the same day that the sample is received in the testing laboratory. One day means results are available 1 day after the sample is received in the laboratory.
Maximum Laboratory Time Defines the maximum time from specimen receipt at Mayo Medical Laboratories until the release of the test result
Specimen Retention Time Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded
Performing Laboratory Location The location of the laboratory that performs the test
Test Classification Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer's instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR), Investigation Use Only (IUO) product, or a Research Use Only (RUO) product.
CPT Code Information Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Medical Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.
86790
LOINC® Code Information Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the result codes returned for this test or profile.
| Result ID | Reporting Name | LOINC Code |
|---|---|---|
| 81971 | Human Herpesvirus-8, Ab, IgG, S | 40834-4 |
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