title: Evaluation of the role of human herpes virus 6 and 8 in parapsoriasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aetiology of mycosis fungoides and parapsoriasis (which may be considered as an early stage of mycosis fungoides) remains debated. Previous recent studies have suspected the involvement of viral agents and particularly human herpes viruses (HHV).The aim of the present study was to screen for the presence of HHV-6 and HHV-8 genome in parapsoriasis samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty paraffin-embedded samples from skin biopsies of parapsoriasis were retrospectively collected from archival files in our Dermatology department. Total DNA was extracted from samples using the phenol-chloroform method and the presence of viral genomes was screened using real-time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty nine out of the fifty tissue samples of parapsoriasis were interpretable, they were all found negative for HHV-6 and HHV-8.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study does not confirm the suspected role of HHV-6 or -8 in parapsoriasis. HHV-8 has been the most studied virus in parapsoriasis and more widely in cutaneous lymphoproliferative diseases and our results are in agreement with most of the studies which found none or few HHV-8 in more advanced stages of cutaneous lymphoproliferative diseases. Concerning HHV-6, our study is the first one investigating the presence of this virus in lesional tissue samples of patients with parapsoriasis. In conclusion, parapsoriasis does not seem to be associated with either HHV-6 or HHV-8.
authors.affiliation: Skin Cancer Unit, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France.
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quéreux
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: André-Garnier
authors.forename: Anne-Chantal
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Knol
authors.forename: Berthe-Marie
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Imbert-Marcille
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dréno
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D010267:Parapsoriasis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult