Subtype C1 persistent infection of HHV-8 in a PEL patient

PEL, a rare type of lymphoma constituting less than 5% of NHLs, has been recently identified as a distinct clinical and pathological entity among the B-cell lymphomas, with characteristic morphologic, immunophenotypic, molecular and viral features. ICC, PCR, RT-PCR and sequencing were carried out in biologicals samples from a 44-year-old, non-smoker Caucasian male patient of Greek nationality, HIV-1 negative and HCV positive. The ICC results showed CD30 + , Vimentin + , EMA + , Ki67 + , Pankeratin- and negative to B and T antibodies. In addition, HHV-8 was detected in pleural fluid. Examination of blood samples of the patient over a period of nearly two years showed a persistent infection of HHV-8. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relation to the C1 variant of HHV-8. The samples was also found EBV negative by PCR. Using a combination of clinical, morphological, immunohistochemical features and molecular biology techniques in this study we document a PEL case with persistent HHV-8 of genotype C1 infection.