Is human herpesvirus 8 infection more common in men than in women? an updated meta-analysis

Clinically, most patients with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) are male, and several direct and indirect mechanisms may underlie this increased susceptibility in men, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), is considered to be the primary etiological agent responsible for KS. Thus, we propose the hypothesis that men are more susceptible to HHV-8 infection, leading to a higher incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma among males. A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between gender and HHV-8 seropositivity in the general population. A comprehensive literature search was performed using 6 online databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang. Studies published before March 15, 2023, were included. In all, 33 articles including 41 studies were included in the meta-analysis. In the included adult population. men had a higher risk of HHV-8 infection than did women in adult populations from all over the world (odds ratio [OR]: 1.08, 95