Herpesvirus-like DNA sequences and Kaposi's sarcoma: Relationship with epidemiology, clinical spectrum, and histologic features

Abstract

Our results reinforce the hypothesis that HHV-8 is incriminated in different epidemiologic, clinical and histologic stages of KS and could contribute to the pathogenesis of this tumor. However, the presence of HHV-8 DNA sequences in skin and visceral samples free of KS from KS indicates that the virus is not restricted to the tumor tissue, and thus is able to disseminate in many organs of the target individual. Absence of the virus from healthy, AIDS, or transplanted patients without KS suggests that the viral Sequences either do not spread easily or do not easily maintain themselves in the human population.