Molecular evidence of organ-related transmission of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus or human herpesvirus-8 in transplant patients

In transplant patients, Kaposi sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus or human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) infection is associated with the development of KS, primary effusion lymphoma and Castleman disease. Whether HHV-8 is either re activated in the recipient or transmitted by the donor has been investigate d so far only by serologic studies. Thus, we addressed the issue of HHV-8 t ransmission in the transplantation setting by molecular methods. We exploit ed the high level variability of the orf-K1 gene and the polymorphism of th e orf-73 gene of the HHV-8 genome to assess the genetic relatedness of the HHV-8 strains identified in the posttransplant KS lesions that developed, s imultaneously, 20 months after transplantation, in 2 recipients of twin kid neys from the same cadaver donor. The 100% identity of nucleotide sequence of the most variable viral region and the presence of the same, single orf- 73 type in both patients provides strong molecular evidence of organ-relate d transmission of HHV-8 in the setting of transplantation. (C) 2000 by The American Society of Hematology.