Evaluation of the role of human herpes virus 6 and 8 in parapsoriasis

• Published in: Experimental dermatology Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 357 - 361
• Main Authors: Quéreux, Gaëlle, André-Garnier, Elisabeth, Knol, Anne-Chantal, Imbert-Marcille, Berthe-Marie, Dréno, Brigitte
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2009; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Dermatology; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Herpesvirus; Herpesvirus 6, Human - physiology; Herpesvirus 8, Human - physiology; human herpes virus-6; human herpes virus-8; Human herpesvirus 6; Human herpesvirus 8; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; mycosis fungoides; Mycosis Fungoides - physiopathology; Mycosis Fungoides - virology; parapsoriasis; Parapsoriasis - physiopathology; Parapsoriasis - virology; Psoriasis. Parapsoriasis. Lichen; Retrospective Studies; Skin - pathology; Skin - virology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases with cutaneous or mucosal lesions and viral diseases of the eye; Young Adult; Human; Cutaneous T cell lymphoma; Skin disease; Dermatology; T cell neoplasm; Herpes; Mycosis fungoides; Parapsoriasis; Malignant hemopathy; human herpes virus-8; Lymphoid neoplasm; Non Hodgkin lymphoma; human herpes virus-6; Peripheral T cell lymphoma; Infection; Virus; Cutaneous hematologic disease; Lymphoproliferative syndrome; Viral disease; Human herpesvirus 6; Cancer
• ISSN: 0906-6705; 1600-0625
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0625.2008.00787.x

Introduction:  The aetiology of mycosis fungoides and parapsoriasis (which may be considered as an early stage of mycosis fungoides) remains debated. Previous recent studies have suspected the involvement of viral agents and particularly human herpes viruses (HHV).The aim of the present study was to screen for the presence of HHV‐6 and HHV‐8 genome in parapsoriasis samples. Method:  Fifty paraffin‐embedded samples from skin biopsies of parapsoriasis were retrospectively collected from archival files in our Dermatology department. Total DNA was extracted from samples using the phenol–chloroform method and the presence of viral genomes was screened using real‐time PCR. Results:  Forty nine out of the fifty tissue samples of parapsoriasis were interpretable, they were all found negative for HHV‐6 and HHV‐8. Discussion:  This study does not confirm the suspected role of HHV‐6 or ‐8 in parapsoriasis. HHV‐8 has been the most studied virus in parapsoriasis and more widely in cutaneous lymphoproliferative diseases and our results are in agreement with most of the studies which found none or few HHV‐8 in more advanced stages of cutaneous lymphoproliferative diseases. Concerning HHV‐6, our study is the first one investigating the presence of this virus in lesional tissue samples of patients with parapsoriasis. In conclusion, parapsoriasis does not seem to be associated with either HHV‐6 or HHV‐8.