Human herpesvirus 8 in semen and prostate

The prevalence of human herpesvirus (HHV) type 8 determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in specimens from various individuals has been described in a number of reports. Interpreting these data can be difficult, however, because of the inherent sensitivity of the PCR method, which renders such diagnostic assays susceptible to artefacts and to the possibility that the amplification signal is derived from infiltrating cells which are themselves infected by the virus. In this regard, two reports in this issue of AIDS [1,2] counter previous findings from molecular studies on the prevalence of HHV-8 in seminal fluids and prostate glands in the HIV-negative human population (Table 1).