Antibodies against lytic and latent Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus antigens and lymphoma in the European EpiLymph case-control study

Background: Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus is associated with primary effusion lymphoma and multicentric Castleman's disease. Methods: Seropositivity to lytic and latent Kaposi's sarcoma herpes virus (KSHV) antigens were examined in 2083 lymphomas and 2013 controls from six European countries. Results: Antibodies against KSHV latent and lytic antigens were detectable in 4.5% and 3.4% of controls, respectively, and 3.6% of cases (P>0.05). The KSHV seropositivity was associated with splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) (odds ratio (OR)=4.11, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.57–10.83) and multiple myeloma (OR=0.31, 95% CI=0.11–0.85). Conclusion: The KSHV is unlikely to contribute importantly to lymphomagenesis among immunocompetent subjects. However, the observed association with SMZL may underline a chronic antigen mechanism in its aetiology.