Nosocomial Kikuchi's disease--a search for herpesvirus sequences in lymph node tissues using PCR.
BACKGROUND
Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, also known as Kikuchi's disease (KD), is a rare disease. Fever and lymphadenopathies with characteristic pathologic features are present. The etiology of this disease remains undetermined. Since the disorder is self-limiting, different viruses have been implicated as the causative agent.


METHODS
Seven cases of KD were studied. Three patients acquired the disease nosocomially, three had community-acquired KD and one case was associated with systemic lupus erythematosus. PCR was performed on DNA extracted from lymph node tissues in order to detect herpesvirus-specific DNA sequences: herpes simpLex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV1-2), varicella zoster virus (VZV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8).


RESULTS
Viral DNA was not detected in any of the lymph node tissues from the seven cases of KD.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that these herpesviruses were not involved in the etiology of the three cases of nosocomial KD, nor in the other four cases of KD investigated in this study.
Martinez-Vazquez
C
C
Division of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Xeral de Vigo, Universidad de Santiago, Spain. carmenpotel@airtel.net
Potel
C
C
Angulo
M
M
Gonzalez-Carreró
J
J
Alvarez
M
M
Tenorio
A
A
Cid
D
D
Oliveira
I
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections; D003428:Cross Infection; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D020042:Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D004279:DNA, Viral