Lack of human herpesvirus 8 and Epstein-Barr virus in Kikuchi's histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis

• Published in: Human pathology Vol. 34; no. 2; pp. 130 - 135
• Main Authors: George, Tracy I., Jones, Carol D., Zehnder, James L., Warnke, Roger A., Dorfman, Ronald F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.02.2003; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Child; DNA, Viral - analysis; Epstein-Barr virus; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Herpesvirus 4, Human - genetics; Herpesvirus 8, Human - genetics; Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis - virology; human herpesvirus 8; Humans; In Situ Hybridization; Kikuchi's histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis; Male; Medical sciences; Other diseases. Hematologic involvement in other diseases; Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Viral - analysis; Kikuchi's histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis; HHV 8; EBV; Epstein-Barr virus; human herpesvirus 8; PCR; ISH; Gammaherpesvirinae; Human; Immunohistochemistry; Nested polymerase chain reaction; Pathogenesis; Herpesviridae; Alphaherpesvirinae; Hemopathy; Epstein Barr virus; Necrosis; Herpesvirus hominis 8; Virus; Pathology; Adenopathy; Kikuchi Fujimoto disease; Herpesvirus hominis; Molecular biology
• ISSN: 0046-8177; 1532-8392
• DOI: 10.1053/hupa.2003.11

Kikuchi's histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis is a self-limited disorder that typically involves the cervical lymph nodes of young women. Although a viral etiology has been postulated, a definitive viral agent has not been identified. Recent reports have suggested that human herpesvirus 8 (HHV 8) or Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may play an etiologic role. We investigated the presence of HHV 8 and EBV in archival tissue from 34 cases of Kikuchi's histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis. We examined 29 cases for HHV 8 using a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on paraffin-embedded or frozen tissue, and 24 cases for EBV RNA using in situ hybridization (ISH) for EBER1. Controls included reactive lymph nodes from 8 adult women presenting with cervical or axillary lymphadenopathy. The study patients included 7 men and 27 women with a mean age of 28 years. All patients were previously healthy without evidence of immunocompromise and presented with cervical, axillary, or inguinal lymphadenopathy. Two cases exhibited EBV RNA by ISH; this was confirmed by PCR for EBV DNA. HHV 8 DNA was not amplified by nested PCR in any of the cases of Kikuchi's histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis or reactive lymph nodes; control PCR demonstrated the presence of amplifiable DNA in all cases. These findings suggest that HHV 8 and EBV do not play causative roles in Kikuchi's histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis. HUM PATHOL 34:130-135. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.