Kaposi's sarcoma: is the hunt for the culprit over now?
Patients suffering from the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) have a 20000-fold increased risk of developing a severe form of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), a previously rare malignancy involving sharply defined nodular lesions of the skin and/or oral mucosa. Epidemiological evidence has long suggested that an infectious agent is the probable cause of KS. Recently sequences from a putative new herpesvirus have been found to be associated with KS in virtually 100% of the cases analyzed. The suspected etiological agent, a new human herpesvirus termed Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpes virus (human herpes virus 8) has now been propagated in cell culture. This significant advance should form the basis for a detailed analysis of the pathogenetic mechanisms involved in the development of KS.
Schatz
O
O
MedizinischePoliklinik, Klinikum Innenstadt, Ludwig-Maximilians Universitat Munchen, Munich, Germany.
Bogner
J R
JR
Goebel
F D
FD
D000328:Adult; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000821:virology; D014779:Virus Replication
D004279:DNA, Viral