A renal transplant recipient on long-term immunosuppression develops violaceous plaques on the lower limbs. Biopsy shows spindle cells forming slit-like vascular spaces with extravasated red cells. Which herpesvirus is oncogenic in this lesion?
- A Human herpesvirus 6
- B Human herpesvirus 8 ✓
- C Human herpesvirus 7
- D Epstein-Barr virus
Correct answer: B. Human herpesvirus 8
Explanation
Kaposi sarcoma is caused by human herpesvirus 8, also called Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, a gamma-herpesvirus whose latency genes drive proliferation of endothelial-derived spindle cells. EBV is also an oncogenic gamma-herpesvirus, which makes it the tempting distractor, but it is linked to lymphomas and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, not to vascular tumors. HHV-6 and HHV-7 cause roseola infantum and are not oncogenic.
Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.