Herpes-Type Virus Particles in Tissue Culture of Kaposi's Sarcoma From Different Geographic Regions2

Abstract

Typical herpes-type virus particles were observed in 5 of 8 selected tissue culture lines derived from different cases of Kaposi's sarcoma from 2 equatorial African regions, Congo and Uganda. Common and different traits of cellular morphology related to viral involvement were found. In one line, morphologic aspects and preliminary immunologic characterization suggested a virus resembling cytomegalovirus. The other 4 cases presented one important trait in common: The appearance of viruses (at an early stage in lines 13, 16, 19) in undifferentiated cells that resembled fibroblastoid or macrophage elements.