Serologic prevalence of antibody to human herpesvirus type 8 in patients with various monoclonal gammopathies

Both viral and serologic studies have consistently shown an association of human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) with Kaposi's sarcoma, primary effusion ly mphoma, and Castleman's disease. The presence of HHV-8 DNA in patients with myeloma has been reported by some investigators but not substantiated by o thers, In addition, variable results have been obtained with serologic stud ies for HHV-8 in patients with myeloma and certain other monoclonal gammopa thies (MG), We tested 238 coded serum or plasma samples from 96 patients wi th various MG for antibodies to lytic and latent HHV-8 antigens by indirect immunofluorescence. Thirty-four of 96 (35%) patients were positive-for the lytic antibody, but none were positive for the latent antibody. Patients w ith kappa or lambda light chain myeloma were often positive for the lytic a ntibody when compared to patients with IgG or IgA myeloma (8 of 11 [73%] vs . 12 of 38 [32%], P = 0.033). The patients with light chain myeloma also we re more likely to be positive when compared to patients with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) (4 of 15 [27%], P = 0.045) or AL amyloidosis (4 of 1 3 [31%], P = 0.047), Four of 9 (44%) patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) were positive. However, 4 other patients who progressed from MGUS to myeloma were negative. Subgroup analysis of MG may help clarify the role of HHV-8 in these disorders.