SHORT REPORT - HERPES-LIKE DNA-SEQUENCES IN AFRICAN-ENDEMIC AND ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME-ASSOCIATED KAPOSIS-SARCOMA

Recently, the unique nucleic acid closely related to the herpes-like s equences has been found in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-a ssociated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). We have confirmed the presence of her peslike DNA sequences in six cases of AIDS-associated KS and three of the nine cases of African-endemic KS in adults, but not in eight cases of KS in children from the same area. These sequences were seen in a histologically early stage of KS. Our results suggest that herpes-like DNA sequences may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AIDS- associated KS.