Frequency of Type 8 Human Herpes Virus in Patients with Pemphigus Vulgaris by Immunohistochemical Method

Background: Considering the published reports about presence of Kaposi s sarcoma in patients with pemphigus and bolus pemphigoid without evidence of HIV infection, this study was designed to investigate the presence of HHV-8 in patients with pemphigus, so that the results could be used to identify the etiology and treat patients with pemphigus.Methods: The sample was selected from patients presenting to the dermatology clinic as well as patients admitted to the Dermatology ward of Tabriz Sina Hospital, who had skin lesions or mucosal lesions suspected of pemphigus. The control group included non-pemphigus subjects. After confirmation of pemphigus, IHC (Immunohistochemistry) staining was performed to detect HHV-8. For control group, IHC method was used for HHV-8 detection.Results: The study was performed on 54 subjects including 27 cases in the case group (with Pemphigus vulgaris) and 27 in the control group. The mean age of the subjects in the case group was 43.26 ± 13.55 years and the mean age of the participants in the control group was 40.04 ± 12.85 years. IHC showed HHV-8 in 12 patients in case group and 9 patients in control group. The results of IHC were negative in 15 patients in the case group and 18 in the control group and there was no statistically significant difference in IHC findings between the two groups (P=0.402).Conclusion: Although HHV-8 prevalence was higher in Pemphigus vulgaris patients, this difference was not statistically significant, and there is unlikely to be a causal relationship between HHV-8 and Pemphigus.