No evidence for a role of human herpesvirus type 8 in sarcoidosis: molecular and serological analysis

The aim of this study was to analyse the association between human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV8) and sarcoidosis. Using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we tested the presence of HHV8 DNA sequences in 13 skin specimens and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from eight patients suffering from sarcoidosis. We also looked for the presence of HHV8 antibodies in the sera of 28 patients with sarcoidosis using three techniques: two indirect immunofluorescence assays and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with recombinant capsid protein fragment encoded by open-reading frame 65. HHV8 PCR analysis was negative while HHV8 serological studies showed an overall prevalence of 18% among patients suffering from sarcoidosis: 43% in patients from sub-Saharan Africa, 17% in patients from Northern Africa, 12.5% in patients from the French West Indies and 0% in French patients. In conclusion, our results do not indicate an association between HHV8 and sarcoidosis but reflect the seroepidemiology of this virus in different geographical regions.