Human herpesvirus 8 infections in patients with immunodeficiencies.
In 1994, Chang et al described a novel herpesvirus in tissues from patients with Kaposi sarcoma, referred to as Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus or human herpesvirus 8. They used a very sophisticated technique of molecular biology to isolate unknown DNA sequences from Kaposi sarcoma lesions, which were not present in normal tissues. It turned out that these sequences corresponded to a previously unrecognized gamma herpesvirus highly homologous to human herpesvirus 4 (Epstein-Barr virus) and to herpesvirus saimiri. Contrary to Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus 8 is not ubiquitous. The seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 varies greatly worldwide, with 1% to 10% of people being infected in developed countries and up to 80% of infected individuals in some areas of sub-Saharan and equatorial Africa. Human herpesvirus 8 is associated with a limited spectrum of tumors, mostly observed in immunodeficient individuals with HIV infection. Beside Kaposi sarcoma and multicentric Castleman disease, human herpesvirus 8 is associated with primary effusion lymphoma, but unlike Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus 8 is not involved in epithelial tumors. Different proteins of the virus can be detected in infected cells. Antibodies against the latent nuclear antigen 1 are available in routine pathology and represent a powerful tool to detect the virus in human tissues. Although Epstein-Barr virus is the most frequent causative agent of lymphomas in immunocompromised individuals, a systematic screening of such tumors with specific antibodies reveals that the implication of human herpesvirus 8 infection is probably underestimated. Recent descriptions of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in endemic areas, solid localizations of primary effusion lymphoma, and posttransplantation lymphoproliferations have expanded the spectrum of human herpesvirus 8-related lymphoproliferative disorders. In this review, we will be presenting an overview of the recent concepts regarding human herpesvirus 8 and related disorders.
Service d'Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques, CHU Purpan, Université Paul-Sabatier, Toulouse III, F-31300 Toulouse, France.
Camille
C
Laurent
Fabienne
F
Meggetto
Pierre
P
Brousset
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005871:Castleman Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D054685:Lymphoma, Primary Effusion / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C109540:latency-associated nuclear antigen