Human herpesvirus-8

Our current understanding of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) has evolved from initial descriptions of this "idiopathic sarcoma" to a progressively detailed characterization of its probable infectious origin. This article traces the explosive discovery of human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) and its etiologic associations with KS, Castleman's disease, and primary effusion lymphomas. A framework for understanding how viral infection leads to development of these unusual disease is presented. The possible role of HHV-8 in tumorigenesis, through viral manipulation of signal transduction pathways and cell cycle control, is discussed.