HUMAN HERPESVIRUS-8 KAPOSIS SARCOMA-ASSOCIATED HERPESVIRUS IN ORGAN TRANSPLANT PATIENTS WITH IMMUNOSUPRESSION/

Several recent studies have demonstrated Kaposi's sarcoma-associated h erpes virus (KSHV), also known as putative human herpes virus-8 (HHV-8 ), DNA in various epidemiologic forms of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), includ ing AIDS-associated, classic, and endemic types. Risk of developing KS in non-HIV-infected immunosuppressed hosts, such as patients followin g solid organ transplantation, is also significantly higher compared t o normal individuals. We hare retrospectively evaluated 28 organ trans plant patients with KS (23 cutaneous and five visceral) for the presen ce of KSHV genome by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of DNA isolated from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival tissue sa mples, 27/28 KS patients were positive for the presence of KSHV. In fo ur KS patients, tissue samples with no histologic evidence of KS were also analysed for KSHV. No evidence of positivity in three samples was noted, but one patient had weak positive amplification products on DN A samples isolated from a gastric biopsy with chronic gastritis and ly mph node with sinus histiocytosis. These data support the association of KSHV with KS developing in non-HIV-infected immunosuppressed patien ts, similar to other forms of KS, and suggest that KSHV may play a sig nificant role in the development of all forms of KS.