HHV-8 and AIDS-related CNS lymphoma.

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), the Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus, is closely related to the transforming Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and may be detected in AIDS-related, EBV-containing, body-cavity-based lymphomas. Accordingly, we analyzed 27 EBV-positive, AIDS-related CNS lymphomas for HHV-8 sequences. Only one tumor yielded HHV-8 sequences; this tumor arose in a patient with concomitant systemic lymphoma and a history of KS. We conclude that HHV-8 is unlikely to have a major role in the pathogenesis of AIDS-related, EBV-associated CNS lymphomas.