Detection and sequence diversity of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)/human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) DNA

Detection of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)/human herpesvirus (HHV-8) has been reported frequently in patients with KS associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). We examined the presence of the KSHV sequence in 8 HIV-positive patients comprising 5 with KS, 2 with syphilis, 1 with prurigo, and 2 HIV-negative patients with angiosarcoma. Using the polymerase chain reaction, we observed amplification of a DNA fragment of the expected size in 4 patients with KS. Sequencing analysis of the amplified fragments revealed several base substitutions upon comparison with the originally reported sequence. Our results support the hypothesis of a pathogenic role of KSHV in the development of skin lesions in HIV-positive patients with KS, and the sequences of KSHV DNA fragments isolated in this study also demonstrated strain diversity similar to that reported previously.