Human herpesvirus 8 DNA in the skin and blood of patients with Mediterranean Kaposi's sarcoma: Clinical correlations

Background: Kaposi's sarcoma is a multifocal lympho-angioproliferative dise ase that appears in elderly subjects of Mediterranean origin (classical for m), young Africans and immunodepressed patients (as a result of organ trans plantation or AIDS). In 1994, DNA sequences of a new human herpesvirus, cal led HHV-8, were detected in skin lesions and peripheral blood of patients w ith AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma by confirmational display analysis and po lymerase chain reaction. Objective: As HHV-8 in peripheral blood mononuclea r cells is detected in about 50% of Mediterranean Kaposi's sarcoma patients and its presence fluctuates in time in the same patient, maybe its detecti on correlates with the clinical behaviour of the disease. Methods: By using routine and nested polymerase chain reaction we evaluated the presence of HHV-8-specific DNA sequences in the skin lesions, perilesional healthy skin and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a group of 40 HIV-negative patie nts with Mediterranean Kaposi's sarcoma. Results: HHV-8 DNA sequences have been found in 40/40 (100%) lesional skin of Mediterranean Kaposi's sarcoma, in 35/40 (85%) perilesional apparently normal skin and in 24/40 (60%) peri pheral blood monuclear cell samples. The results of polymerase chain reacti on on peripheral blood monuclear cells were positive in 41% of the patients with slowly evolving disease as opposed to 74% of those with rapidly evolv ing disease, and in 47.6% of the patients with stage I-II disease as oppose d to 73.6% of those with stage III-IV. Conclusion: The detection of HHV-8 i n peripheral blood monuclear cells seems to correlate with the more aggress ive stages and the rapid evolution behaviour of Mediterranean Kaposi's sarc oma. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.