Human Herpesviruses 6, 7 and 8 in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Non-Invasive Monitoring of Infection and Rejection After Lung Transplantation

“…In a last example of the potential benefit of broad and hypothesis-free infection screening, we examined a patient who exhibited a high load of HHV-8 (Fig. 6B, c), an oncovirus that can cause complications following solid-organ transplantation (27). This patient 28).…”

“…This patient 28). Although posttransplant monitoring for HHV-8 is only recommended in particular clinical circumstances (27), use of sequencing enables the identification of the virus in nonsuspect cases that would otherwise go undetected.…”

Practical Applications in Immunohistochemistry: Evaluation of Rejection and Infection in Organ Transplantation

“…128 Of this family, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes simplex virus (HSV), Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are more common and most amendable to IHC detection and will be discussed. [128][129][130] Cytomegalovirus.-Cytomegalovirus remains a concern in organ-transplant recipients, although prophylaxis and active surveillance programs have decreased incidence, morbidity, and mortality. 108 Cytomegalovirus may involve the organ allograft or native organs and tissues and is notoriously seen in the gastrointestinal tract (sometimes even with ongoing gastrointestinal or pulmonary infection in the setting of negative to low serum virus levels).…”

“…104 Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpes Virus.-Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpes virus (HHV8) has variable prevalence around the globe, and the risk of primary or reactivated infection varies in parallel (highest in Africa, then the Mediterranean and South America, lowest in North America and Northern Europe). 129,143,144 At least 65 cases of transplant-associated Kaposi sarcoma have been reported to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database (United Network for Organ Sharing, Richmond, Virginia), 143 and the incidence in patients with transplants has been calculated as 54-fold to 400-fold that of the general population, depending on local prevalence. 144 The HHV8 is associated with a variety of malignancies in patients with transplants and other immunosuppressed individuals, including Kaposi sarcoma (skin, lymph nodes, or viscera), and the less-common, primary effusion lymphoma and Castleman disease, among other rare associations.…”

“…144 The HHV8 is associated with a variety of malignancies in patients with transplants and other immunosuppressed individuals, including Kaposi sarcoma (skin, lymph nodes, or viscera), and the less-common, primary effusion lymphoma and Castleman disease, among other rare associations. 129,[143][144][145] Demonstration of HHV8 in tissue is an important diagnostic feature for these disease processes, making IHC an important part of the evaluation. In general, antibodies to the latency-associated nuclear antigen LANA1 are employed, with nuclear reactivity indicating a positive stain.…”