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Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Identifying Dysregulated Genes Induced by Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV)
Published on: September 14, 2010
Absence of human herpesvirus 8 DNA sequences in lung biopsies from Israeli patients with pulmonary arterial
1Pulmonary Institute, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikvah, Israel.
Background:
Pulmonary hypertension is a severe pulmonary vascular disease leading to rapid deterioration and death. Histological and clinical evidence suggests that smooth muscle proliferation is part of the pathogenesis of the disease. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is a gamma-herpesvirus that is implicated in malignancies and in Kaposi's sarcoma. Recently, the association of HHV-8 with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has been found.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of HHV-8 in the lung tissue of Israeli patients with PAH.
Method:
The presence of HHV-8 sequences was investigated by polymerase chain reaction examination in 6 biopsies of patients with pulmonary hypertension. Three patients had idiopathic pulmonary hypertension, 2 patients pulmonary venoocclusive disease, and 1 patient pulmonary hypertension associated with mixed connective tissue disease.
Result:
We did not find any association between HHV-8 and PAH in these Israeli patients, as all the samples were negative for polymerase chain reaction.
Conclusion:
Our findings, together with the epidemiological data of HHV-8 prevalence and incidence rates of Kaposi's sarcoma and PAH in Israel, provide further evidence which argues against an association between HHV-8 infection and PAH.
