Prevalence of human herpesvirus 8 infection measured by antibodies to a latent nuclear antigen in patients with various dermatologic diseases.
BACKGROUND
Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) has been detected in all epidemiological forms of Kaposi sarcoma (KS). The role of HHV-8 in dermatologic diseases other than KS is controversial. Some studies based on polymerase chain reaction findings suggest an association between HHV-8 and epithelial tumors of the skin, lymphoproliferative disorders, or pemphigus.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of antibodies against a latent nuclear antigen of HHV-8 in patients with various dermatologic diseases.


METHODS
An indirect immunofluorescence assay was used to search for HHV-8 antibodies.


METHODS
Ambulatory or hospitalized patients from a university hospital associated with a research laboratory.


METHODS
Eighty-three patients with various non-KS dermatologic diseases and 16 patients with KS who were seronegative for the human immunodeficiency virus. Controls were 100 healthy subjects living in the same area.


RESULTS
Antibodies to HHV-8 were found in 100% (16/16) of the patients with KS and 3.6% (3/83) of the patients with non-KS dermatologic diseases: 1 patient with pemphigus vulgaris, 1 with discoid lupus erythematosus, and 1 with bullous pemphigoid. The prevalence of antibodies to HHV-8 in controls was 2% (2/100) and was not significantly different than the prevalence in patients with dermatologic diseases other than KS (P =.28).


CONCLUSIONS
Our serologic study confirms the higher prevalence of HHV-8 antibodies in patients with KS and demonstrates that contrary to other human herpesviruses, HHV-8 is not a ubiquitous virus in France. We could not determine any causal association between HHV-8 and pemphigus or lymphoproliferative disorders of the skin.
Dupin
N
N
Department of Dermatovenereology, Hôpital Tarnier-Cochin, Paris, France.
Marcelin
A G
AG
Gorin
I
I
Bossi
P
P
Franck
N
N
Weill
B
B
Huraux
J M
JM
Escande
J P
JP
Calvez
V
V
D000328:Adult; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005602:France; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008178:Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous / Q000821:virology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D010391:Pemphigoid, Bullous / Q000821:virology; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000821:virology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000821:virology
D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D001324:Autoantigens; D015415:Biomarkers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins