Human herpesvirus-like nucleic acid in various forms of Kaposiʹs sarcoma

The association between a new human herpesvirus-like agent and various forms of Kaposiʹs sarcoma was examined by PCR. The DNA sequences of this agent were detected in 7 of 8 classic Kaposiʹs sarcoma specimens, 12 of 12 AIDS-associated specimens from the United States, and 7 of 10 specimens from African endemic Kaposiʹs sarcoma. Polymorphism of the herpesvirus-like DNA in the Kaposiʹs tissue from different populations was observed by both single-strand conformational polymorphism and direct sequencing. Furthermore, the presence and expression of the virus was detected in some Kaposiʹs tumours by Southern and northern blotting. This herpesvirus may be involved in the pathogenesis of different kinds of Kaposiʹs sarcoma seen among distinct and unrelated populations.