Nosocomial Kikuchi's Disease – A Search for Herpesvirus Sequences in Lymph Node Tissues Using PCR

Abstract

Background: Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, also known as Kikuchi's disease (KD), is a rare disease. Fever and lymphadenopathies with characteristic pathologic features are present. The etiology of this disease remains undetermined. Since the disorder is self-limiting, different viruses have been implicated as the causative agent.

Patients and Methods: Seven cases of KD were studied. Three patients acquired the disease nosocomially, three had community-acquired KD and one case was associated with systemic lupus erythematosus. PCR was performed on DNA extracted from lymph node tissues in order to detect herpesvirus-specific DNA sequences: herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV 1–2), varicella zoster virus (VZV), human cytomegalovirus (HCM), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8).

Results: Viral DNA was not detected in any of the lymph node tissues from the seven cases of KD.

Conclusion: We conclude that these herpesviruses were not involved in the etiology of the three cases of nosocomial KD nor in the other four cases of KD investigated in this study.