Molecular analysis of Kaposi's sarcoma occurring during haemodialysis

Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). In this paper we attempted to confirm the connection between dialysis, HHV-8, and KS by examining the case of an elderly haemodialysis nonimmunosuppressed male patient with end-stage renal disease, who developed KS. By using PCR we have verified the presence of DNA from two different genomic regions (ORF 26 and ORF K1) of HHV-8. In addition, our RT-PCR results suggest active replication of HHV-8 in blood and KS lesions of the patient. Phylogenetic analysis revealed identical DNA sequence to ORF K1, and a close relation to its C1 variant. In conclusion, we document the case of KS and HHV-8 coexistence in a Greek elderly patient undergoing regular haemodialysis. Furthermore, our results indicate that factors other than immunosuppression could lead to KS development possibly due to activation of HHV-8.