Persistence of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-infected cells in KSHV/HIV-1-coinfected subjects without KSHV-associated diseases.

Inguinal lymph nodes from 24 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1-infected subjects without Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-associated diseases were examined for KSHV infection. KSHV-infected cells were detected at a very low frequency in the lymph nodes of 7 subjects (median frequency, 2 infected cells/10(7) lymph node cells). Latent, but not lytic, KSHV gene expression was detected and KSHV-infected cells were located in B cell-rich areas of lymph node follicles. These findings provide evidence that, in the absence of KSHV-associated diseases, latent infection of lymph node cells provides a mechanism for the persistence of KSHV in KSHV/HIV-1-coinfected persons.