Sexual Transmission and the Natural History of Human Herpesvirus 8 Infection

Among persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the disproportionate incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma among homosexual or bisexual men has long suggested that a sexually transmitted cofactor, in addition to background HIV infection, is responsible for the development of Kaposi's sarcoma. 1 A novel herpesvirus, termed human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) or Kaposi's sarcoma–associated herpesvirus, became a candidate for the etiologic cofactor when its DNA sequences were discovered in tissue specimens of Kaposi's sarcoma. 2 Subsequently, the detection of HHV-8 DNA sequences in all forms of Kaposi's sarcoma 3 – 7 has strengthened the biologic argument. Cross-sectional epidemiologic studies have determined that HHV-8 seropositivity . . .