Kaposi's sarcoma and exposure to faeces

Risk factors for Kaposi's-sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) seropositivity in a cohort of homosexual men, 1981–1996

“…This corresponds very well with other studies of risk factors for AIDS-related KS among homosexual men. Already in the beginning of the 1980s, Marmor and colleagues reported AIDS-related KS to be significantly associated with the practice of receptive anal intercourse (Marmor et al, 1982), while others subsequently reported increased risk of KS among HIV-positive men whose sexual practices involved fecal contact (Darrow et al, 1992;Lifson et al, 1990;Beral et al, 1992). We were not able to establish a particular risk for KSHV/HHV-8 seropositivity associated with rimming, but other studies on risk factors for AIDSrelated KS have been somewhat contradictory on this point (Lifson et al, 1990;Beral et al, 1992).…”

Conceptual Emergence of Human Herpesvirus 8 (Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus) as an Oral Herpesvirus

“…The evidence pointed to an infectious agent, other than HIV, that was responsible for the development of KS. Enquiries into sexual practices of MSM in London and several cities in the United States identified insertive oral-anal sexual contact to be the main risk factor for KS; this activity tended to be associated with other activities, such as receptive and insertive anal intercourse, and receptive and insertive fisting (Beral et al, 1992;Darrow et al, 1992;Peterman et al, 1992). It was hypothesized that the agent of KS is a microbe transmitted primarily by fecal contact.…”