Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus deoxyribonucleic acid sequences: lack of detection in prostatic tissue of human immunodeficiency virus-negative immunocompetent adults.

PURPOSE: A recent study argued that Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus is ubiquitous, as reflected by the frequent detection of its deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences in the prostatic tissue of healthy Italian men. Because these findings are discordant with serological data, our objective was to reassess the prevalence of this virus in prostate tissue from immunocompetent men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Normal tissue samples from 45 human immunodeficiency virus-negative men undergoing radical prostatectomy for prostate carcinoma were snap frozen. DNA was extracted from normal noncancerous tissue. DNA was confirmed to be polymerase chain reaction amplifiable. Then, using multiple primer sets, extracted prostatic DNA was blinded, polymerase chain reaction amplified and screened for Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus by Southern blot. RESULTS: Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus DNA sequences were not detected in either the 45 prostatic DNA or in blinded internal negative controls, but they were consistently identified in all positive internal controls. CONCLUSIONS: Since Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus was undetectable in any of the prostatic samples despite high assay sensitivity, it is unlikely that the prostate serves as a reservoir for this virus in immunocompetent North American men. These findings also suggest that Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus is not ubiquitous.