Contents - College of Medical and Dental Sciences - University of ...

The 11 th International Workshop on KSHV & Related Agents, Birmingham, UK
Poster Session Abstract P15
KSHV DNA QUANTIFICATION IN MATCHED PLASMA AND PBMCs SAMPLES OF
HIV+ PATIENTS WITH KSHV-RELATED LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE DISEASES
Rosamaria Tedeschi 1 , Alessia Marus 1 , Ettore Bidoli 2 , Cecilia Simonelli 3 , and Paolo De
Paoli 1
1 Microbiology-Immunology and Virology Unit; 2 Epidemiology Unit; 3 Medical Oncology
Dept.; Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, Aviano, Italy
Abstract
Background: The quantitative evaluation of Kaposi’s sarcoma Herpesvirus (KSHV) viral
load is not well described in the clinical management of KSHV-related lymphoproliferative
diseases.
Aim: To evaluate and to compare KSHV viral load in different blood compartments from
HIV+ patients with Multicentric Castleman’s disease (MCD), Primary Effusion Lymphoma
(PEL) and virus-associated solid lymphoma (SLY) and to establish which clinical sample
would be preferable for KSHV DNA testing.
Methods: We assessed KSHV DNA in plasma and PBMCs paired samples from 7 PEL, 8
MCD, 2 SLY HIV+ patients at the diagnosis and during the course of the illness by using a
real time PCR assay. EBV DNA, HIV RNA and CD4 cell counts were also measured.
Results: KSHV viremia was always detectable at diagnosis among the three groups of
patients. KSHV DNA levels were correlated in matched pairs of samples at diagnosis and
also during follow-up (Spearman correlation coefficient: r=0.73; p