title: Is Kaposi's-sarcoma-associated herpesvirus detectable in semen of HIV-infected homosexual men?
abstract: We explored a possible route of transmission of Kaposi's-sarcoma-associated 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 healthy 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 detectable KSHV sequences. Over 5 years of follow-up, 13 of 30 KSHV-positive homosexual men (43%) developed KS compared with none of the 3 KSHV-negative homosexual men.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Mar
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Pellett
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Stamey
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Spira
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D012661:Semen / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral