The emergence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (human herpesvirus 8)
Article Abstract:
Human herpesvirus-8 has probably existed for a long time and does not cause symptoms in healthy people. However, it can cause symptoms in immunosuppressed people, including AIDS patients, organ transplant recipients, and even normal aging.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 2000
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Detection of herpesvirus-like DNA sequences in Kaposi's sarcoma in patients with and those without HIV infection
Article Abstract:
A newly-discovered herpes virus appears to play a role in Kaposi's sarcoma. Kaposi's sarcoma is a skin tumor that is common in AIDS patients but can also occur in HIV-negative people. Researchers used the polymerase chain reaction to detect herpes virus DNA in skin tumor samples from 11 AIDS patients with Kaposi's sarcoma, 4 HIV-negative gay men with Kaposi's sarcoma and 6 patients with classic Kaposi's sarcoma. Herpes virus DNA was found in samples from 10 of the AIDS patients and all of the HIV-negative gay men and patients with classic Kaposi's sarcoma. Only three of 14 skin samples not affected by Kaposi's sarcoma contained viral DNA. None of 11 skin samples and 10 blood cell samples from people without Kaposi's sarcoma was positive for herpes virus DNA. DNA sequencing revealed that the virus in all patients was essentially the same. There is evidence that this virus may be sexually transmitted.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1995
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Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus-like DNA sequences in AIDS-related body-cavity-based lymphomas
Article Abstract:
A newly-discovered herpes virus appears to play a role in the development of lymphomas that occur only in body cavities. These body-cavity lymphomas usually occur in the abdominal cavity or in the sacs surrounding the heart and lungs. Researchers used the polymerase chain reaction to detect the herpes virus in lymphoma samples from 42 AIDS patients and 151 patients with lymphomas but not AIDS. The only samples that tested positive were the samples from eight AIDS patients who had body-cavity lymphomas. These samples also tested positive for the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is closely related to the newly-found herpes virus. DNA sequencing revealed that the herpes virus found in body-cavity lymphomas was essentially identical to one recently found in samples of Kaposi's sarcoma skin tumors. EBV has the ability to infect white blood cells and transform them into cancerous cells. The newly-described herpes virus may have the same characteristics.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1995
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- Abstracts: Transient angiolymphoid hyperplasia and Kaposi's sarcoma after primary infection with human herpesvirus 8 in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection
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- Abstracts: Evidence that specific T lymphocytes may participate in the elimination of chronic myelogenous keukemia. Ex vivo identification, isolation and analysis of tumor-cytolytic T cells