Third International Congress Drug Therapy in HIV Infection 3-7 November 1996 Glasgow, UK

HHV8 IN AIDS-RELATED MALIGNANCIES

Robin A Weiss
The Institute of Cancer Research, London

Int Cong Drug Therapy HIV 1996 Nov 3-7;3:Abstract No. 8.1
AIDS 1996, Vol. 10 (Suppl. 2);S5

Human herpesvirus 8 or Kaposi's sarcoma associated virus (KSHV) is a recently discovered virus that has been detected in all epidemiological groups of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS): classical Mediterranean, endemic African, immunosuppressed transplant patients and AIDS patients. Recently, serological tests for HHV8 antibodies have aided the detection of infection indicating a relatively high prevalence of infection in risk groups compared to low risk blood donors. There is, however, still controversy whether such antibodies reflect reactivation of an ubiquitous virus or whether it reflects true pevalence of infection.

HHV8 is associated with some forms of lymphoma and with multicentric Castleman's disease in addition to KS. The HHV8 genome contains a number of potential transforming genes, including a homologue of a cellular cyclin. This viral cyclin is expressed in latent as well as lytic infection and may contribute to the proliferation and neoplasia associated with HHV8.

HHV8 also has thymidine kinase, but it is probably not sensitive to acyclovir or ganciclovir.

Presenting author: Robin A Weiss

1996-11-03

Originally published in AIDS Volume 10, Supplement 2 and hosted with permission of the publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 250 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8RD, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7981 0700 Fax: +44 (0) 7981 0701

Copyright © 1996 - Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved. All abstracts from the 3rd International Congress Drug Therapy in HIV Infection, appearing on the AEGiS web site, are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise published without the prior written permission of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice. However, provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein, you may download material (one machine readable copy and one print copy per page) for your personal, non-commercial use only.

http://www.aidsonline.com http://www.ovid.com