HHV-8 linked to lymphoma and non-AIDS Kaposi's
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The new herpesvirus (HHV-8) found in AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma is probably also responsible for causing the disease in HIV-negative homosexual men and the classic form of the disease. According to Drs Patrick Moore and Yuan Chang of Columbia University, New York, the same herpes-like DNA is present in all three forms of the disease. Because it is associated with certain sexual practices, CMV infection and geographic regions it is probably sexually transmitted and not simply an opportunistic infection in AIDS patients, they say (New England Journal of Medicine, May 4th). The researchers found HHV-8 DNA in 95% of Kaposi's sarcoma patients, but only in 5% of control samples.