THYMOMA ASSOCIATED WITH CD4-INFECTION, AND KAPOSIS-SARCOMA( LYMPHOPENIA, CYTOMEGALOVIRUS)

A case of thymoma with associated opportunistic infections, CD4/CD8 T- lymphocyte imbalance, low CD4-positive T-lymphocyte counts and Kaposi' s sarcoma (KS) without HIV infection is reported. Cytomegalovirus incl usions were identified in the nuclei of some KS spindle and endo theli al cells. It is known that KS has a high prevalence in AIDS patients a nd has occasionally been associated with other causes of immunosuppres sion. In previous studies, coexisting KS and thymoma were related to m yasthenia gravis, corticosteroid treatment and excess CDS-positive T-l ymphocyte counts. More recently an imbalance between CD4 and CD8 posit ive T lymphocytes has been identified in association,vith thymoma. The present case suggests that there may be a relationship between thymom a, CD4-positive lymphopenia, and KS. Copyright (C) 1997 by W.B. Saunde rs Company.