Human Herpesvirus 8 and Renal Transplantation

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Abstract
In their discussion, Regamey et al. (Nov. 5 issue)1 suggest that in regions where human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is not endemic, transplantation-associated Kaposi's sarcoma is often transmitted from the donor. Between January 1993 and December 1995, we checked 166 consecutive patients for HHV-8 antibodies, examining all serum samples collected before kidney transplantation. Antibodies to a latent nuclear antigen (LNA-1) of HHV-8 were detected with an immunofluorescence assay in a primary effusion cell line (BCP-1) latently infected with HHV-8 but not with the Epstein–Barr virus. The immunofluorescence assay was performed as previously described2 with a serum dilution of 1:100.