Biomaterial Database

Human herpesvirus 8, Kaposi's sarcoma, and associated conditions. 2002

Monica Gandhi, and Ruth M Greenblatt

Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 405 Irving Street, Second Floor, San Francisco, CA 94122, USA.

HHV-8 is a recently identified human herpes virus that can produce tumors, most often in immune compromised hosts. The virus is most closely associated with Kaposi's sarcoma, but is also clearly associated with primary effusion lymphomas and multicentric Castleman's disease. The prevalence of HHV-8 infection varies considerably, but is highest among men who have sex with men and others with histories of sexually transmitted diseases and high numbers of lifetime sexual partners. HHV-8 is shed in saliva, and less commonly in genital secretions. Treatment of HHV-8 associated diseases includes reversal of immune compromise either via discontinuation of immunosuppressives or immune reconstitution via antiretroviral regimens. Specific antiviral drug inhibit HHV-8 replication, and can result in responses in certain HHV-8-associated conditions.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D006566	Herpesviridae Infections	Virus diseases caused by the HERPESVIRIDAE.	Herpesvirus Infections,B Virus Infection,Infections, Herpesviridae,Infections, Herpesvirus,B Virus Infections,Herpesviridae Infection,Herpesvirus Infection,Infection, B Virus,Infection, Herpesviridae,Infection, Herpesvirus,Infections, B Virus
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012514	Sarcoma, Kaposi	A multicentric, malignant neoplastic vascular proliferation characterized by the development of bluish-red cutaneous nodules, usually on the lower extremities, most often on the toes or feet, and slowly increasing in size and number and spreading to more proximal areas. The tumors have endothelium-lined channels and vascular spaces admixed with variably sized aggregates of spindle-shaped cells, and often remain confined to the skin and subcutaneous tissue, but widespread visceral involvement may occur. Kaposi's sarcoma occurs spontaneously in Jewish and Italian males in Europe and the United States. An aggressive variant in young children is endemic in some areas of Africa. A third form occurs in about 0.04% of kidney transplant patients. There is also a high incidence in AIDS patients. (From Dorland, 27th ed & Holland et al., Cancer Medicine, 3d ed, pp2105-7) HHV-8 is the suspected cause.	Kaposi Sarcoma,Kaposi's Sarcoma,Multiple Idiopathic Pigmented Hemangiosarcoma,Kaposis Sarcoma,Sarcoma, Kaposi's
D016036	Seroepidemiologic Studies	EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES based on the detection through serological testing of characteristic change in the serum level of specific ANTIBODIES. Latent subclinical infections and carrier states can thus be detected in addition to clinically overt cases.	Seroprevalence,Seroepidemiologic Study,Seroepidemiological Study,Studies, Seroepidemiologic,Study, Seroepidemiologic,Seroepidemiological Studies,Seroprevalences,Studies, Seroepidemiological,Study, Seroepidemiological
D016133	Polymerase Chain Reaction	In vitro method for producing large amounts of specific DNA or RNA fragments of defined length and sequence from small amounts of short oligonucleotide flanking sequences (primers). The essential steps include thermal denaturation of the double-stranded target molecules, annealing of the primers to their complementary sequences, and extension of the annealed primers by enzymatic synthesis with DNA polymerase. The reaction is efficient, specific, and extremely sensitive. Uses for the reaction include disease diagnosis, detection of difficult-to-isolate pathogens, mutation analysis, genetic testing, DNA sequencing, and analyzing evolutionary relationships.	Anchored PCR,Inverse PCR,Nested PCR,PCR,Anchored Polymerase Chain Reaction,Inverse Polymerase Chain Reaction,Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction,PCR, Anchored,PCR, Inverse,PCR, Nested,Polymerase Chain Reactions,Reaction, Polymerase Chain,Reactions, Polymerase Chain
D019288	Herpesvirus 8, Human	A species in the genus RHADINOVIRUS, subfamily GAMMAHERPESVIRINAE, isolated from patients with AIDS-related and "classical" Kaposi sarcoma.	Herpesvirus, Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated,KSHV,Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus,HHV-8,Herpesvirus, Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated,Human Herpesvirus 8,Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus,Herpesvirus, Kaposi Sarcoma Associated,Herpesvirus, Kaposi's Sarcoma Associated,Herpesvirus, Kaposis Sarcoma-Associated,Herpesviruses, Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated,Kaposi Sarcoma Associated Herpesvirus,Kaposi's Sarcoma Associated Herpesvirus,Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesviruses,Kaposis Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus,Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus, Kaposi,Sarcoma-Associated Herpesviruses, Kaposi's