title: Molecular epidemiology of Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) in Cuban and German patients with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and asymptomatic sexual contacts.
abstract: Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) shows a distinct geographical and ethnic distribution. The variable K1 gene serves to differentiate the KSHV subtypes A-E, M, N, and Q. Phylogenetic characterization of 19 classical and epidemic German KS specimens revealed the Eurasian KSHV subtypes C (n = 13, including 6 classical KS) and A (n = 6), while 27 Cuban specimens showed a variety of different subtypes (A: n = 16, 4 being A5; C: n = 8; B: n = 2; and the new subtype E: n = 1). Three pairs of isolates from KS patients and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of their sexual partners without KS were studied for the first time and found identical, strongly arguing for sexual transmission of KSHV in this unique cohort. The unique ethnic background of the Cuban population may explain the variety of different KSHV strains.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kouri
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.forename: Roya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doroudi
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nambiar
authors.forename: Maria E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Capo
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Resik
authors.forename: Orestes
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Ulrich R
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Hengge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology