Human herpesvirus 8 is present in the lymphoid system of healthy persons and can reactivate in the course of AIDS.
In this study the prevalence of human herpesvirus (HHV) 8 DNA was determined in biopsies from persons with lymphoproliferative disorders and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seronegative and HIV-infected persons. The results show that HHV-8 is present in 10% of biopsies from HIV-seronegative persons: HHV-8 is detected with similar prevalence values in HIV-infected patients with lymphoproliferative diseases, but the virus load is higher. HHV-8 was also found in PBMC. The presence of monoclonal Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genomes in malignant lymphoproliferations was only infrequently associated with HHV-8 infection. Therefore, HHV-8 is fairly common in the population, and the lymphoid system could represent a reservoir of latently infected cells from which the virus may reactivate in conditions of immunodepression; furthermore, HHV-8 and EBV do not seem to act in conjunction in lymphomagenesis.
Bigoni
B
B
Institute of Microbiology, University of Ferrara, Italy.
Dolcetti
R
R
de Lellis
L
L
Carbone
A
A
Boiocchi
M
M
Cassai
E
E
Di Luca
D
D
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000821:virology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000821:virology*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral