TRANSPLANTATION-ASSOCIATED MALIGNANCIES - RESTRICTION OF HUMAN HERPES-VIRUS-8 TO KAPOSIS-SARCOMA

Background. The human herpes virus 8 (HHVS) has been detected in all f orms of Kaposi's sarcoma. HHVS was also reported to be present in epit helial skin tumors of patients after renal transplantation, raising th e question of the clinical relevance of HHV8 in transplant-related tum ors. Methods. Using a highly sensitive nested polymerase chain reactio n assay, we analyzed for the presence of HHV8-DNA in the tumor tissue of renal transplant recipients with Kaposi's sarcoma (n=2) and non-Hod gkin's lymphomas (n=6), and in 32 tumors from 10 patients with multipl e epithelial skin tumors. Results. HHV8-DNA was detected in both cases of Kaposi's sarcoma but not in either the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas or the epithelial skin tumors. Conclusions. Our data confirm the associat ion of HHV8 with Kaposi's sarcoma but not with other transplant-relate d tumors. Further studies are needed to analyze the risk for transmiss ion of HHV8 by the donor and the possible exclusion of HHV8-positive p atients as organ donors.