Cellular localization of human herpesvirus 8 in nonneoplastic lymphadenopathies and chronic interstitial pneumonitis by in situ polymerase chain reaction studies.
OBJECTIVE
To study the cellular localization of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) in rare cases of HHV-8 infection from Italy that are associated neither with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection nor Kaposi's sarcoma (KS).


METHODS
The presence and distribution of HHV-8-infected cells was investigated by direct in situ polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the lymph node tissues from 2 patients with reactive lymphadenopathies with florid follicular hyperplasia and increased vascularity and in the lung tissue from 1 patient with chronic interstitial pneumonitis.


RESULTS
HHV-8 was localized in lymphoid and monocyte-macrophage cells scattered in the interfollicular regions of both lymph nodes but not in endothelial cells. In the lung tissue, HHV-8 was found in the inflammatory cells infiltrating the interalveolar interstitium, in endothelial cells of the pulmonary vasculature, and in rare pneumocytes.


CONCLUSIONS
HHV-8 can infect nonneoplastic lymph nodes of immunocompetent subjects, and the distribution of infected cells outside of the germinal centers resembles that of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected cells in the lymph nodes in the course of infectious mononucleosis. Endothelial cells and pneumocytes may be a target of HHV-8 infection out of the KS setting, at least in the presence of a chronic inflammatory process.
Trovato
R
R
Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Pisa, Italy.
Luppi
M
M
Barozzi
P
P
Da Prato
L
L
Maiorana
A
A
Lico
S
S
Marasca
R
R
Torricelli
P
P
Torelli
G
G
Ceccherini-Nelli
L
L
D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods