Table of Contents
Definition / general | Clinical features | Microscopic (histologic) images | Positive staining - diseaseCite this page: Pernick N. HHV8 / KSHV. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/stainsHHV8.html. Accessed September 21st, 2023.
Definition / general
- Human Herpes Virus 8 is also known as Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated Herpes Virus
- Gamma herpesvirus identified as an etiologic agent for Kaposi’s sarcoma in 1994
- Latently infects endothelial cells, monocytes and B cells in Kaposi’s sarcoma patients
- HHV8 Latency Associated Nuclear Antigen, highly expressed during latent HHV8 infection, is commonly used for IHC testing
Clinical features
- HHV8 infection is associated with 3 HIV related lymphoproliferative disorders: primary effusion lymphoma, multicentric Castleman’s disease and multicentric Castleman’s disease-associated plasmablastic lymphoma
- Sensitive but not specific for Kaposi’s sarcoma, due to presence in other tumors (including hemangiomas) in immunocompromised (may be present within intratumoral blood mononuclear cells, Mod Pathol 2005;18:463)
- LANA interacts with pRb, which regulates beginning of S phase of cell cycle; also inhibits p53
- Presence in serum is associated with developing Kaposi sarcoma in immunocompromised individuals
- References: Am J Surg Pathol 2002;26:1363
Microscopic (histologic) images
Positive staining - disease
- HHV8 associated Kaposi sarcoma (endothelial and spindle cells, 92% sensitive and highly specific), primary effusion lymphoma, multicentric Castleman disease