Immunological profile of endemic and epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma patients in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
Int J Mol Med
; 1(6): 979-82, 1998 Jun.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-9852634
ABSTRACT
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) presents in four clinicopathological types namely classical/sporadic (CKS), endemic African (EKS), iatrogenic (IKS) and that associated with AIDS (AKS). Recently a putative herpes virus (HHV-8) was described and shown to be present in all four types of KS. The immunological status of patients with EKS has been conflicting. In this study total leucocyte counts, total lymphocyte counts and lymphocyte subsets of patients with EKS and AKS were determined by flow cytometry and compared to those of healthy HIV-1 seronegative controls. Results show that 50% of EKS lesions were of nodular type. Patients with EKS had significantly lower levels of CD4+ T- lymphocytes and CD4CD8 ratio but significantly higher CD8+ T-lymphocytes compared to controls. Patients with AKS had significantly lower levels of CD4+ T-lymphocytes and also CD4CD8 ratios but significantly higher percentage of CD8+ T-lymphocytes when compared with EKS patients. These findings indicate that in both forms of KS there is a certain degree of immunological disturbance which is more conspicuous in AKS because of HIV infection and suggests that HIV-1 acts synergistically with the aetiological agent (HHV-8) to cause a more aggressive type of KS.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Sarcoma, Kaposi
/
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Incidence_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
En
Journal:
Int J Mol Med
Journal subject:
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
/
GENETICA MEDICA
Year:
1998
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Tanzania