IS KAPOSIS-SARCOMA-ASSOCIATED HERPESVIRUS DETECTABLE IN SEMEN OF HIV-INFECTED HOMOSEXUAL MEN

We explored a possible route of transmission of Kaposi's sarcoma-assoc iated herpes virus (KSHV) with nested and unnested PCR techniques. We looked for KSHV DNA sequences in semen of HIV-positive homosexual men and HIV-negative healthy semen donors. With unnested primers we found KSHV sequences in 21 of 33 (64%) homosexual men and in none of 30 heal thy donors. With a nested PCR assay, 30 of 33 (91%) specimens from the homosexual men and 7 of 30 (23%) specimens from healthy donors had de tectable KSHV sequences. Over 5 years of follow-up, 13 of 30 KSHV-posi tive homosexual men (43%) developed KS compared with none of the 3 KSH V-negative homosexual men.