Kaposi

Kaposi is a surname most closely associated with Moritz Karl Kaposi, a Hungarian dermatologist who first described a vascular tumor of the skin in 1872. The condition he described came to be known as Kaposi's sarcoma, an angioproliferative neoplasm that can affect the skin and other organs.

Kaposi's sarcoma is linked to infection with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8). It typically presents as violaceous patches, plaques, or nodules on the skin, most commonly on the lower extremities, but it can involve mucous membranes and internal organs. The disease occurs in four epidemiologic forms: classic Kaposi's sarcoma, occurring mainly in elderly men of Mediterranean or Eastern European descent; endemic African Kaposi's sarcoma, more common in sub-Saharan Africa; iatrogenic Kaposi's sarcoma, associated with immunosuppression such as organ transplantation; and AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma, seen in people with HIV infection.

Diagnosis is based on clinical features and confirmed by biopsy, which shows spindle-cell proliferation and slit-like vascular spaces; immunohistochemistry may detect HHV-8 latent nuclear antigen. Staging and management depend on form and extent. Treatments range from local therapies for limited disease (radiation, surgical excision, cryotherapy) to systemic therapies for extensive disease (antiretroviral therapy in HIV-positive patients, chemotherapy with liposomal doxorubicin or paclitaxel). In immunosuppressed individuals, reducing immunosuppression can have a therapeutic effect.

Epidemiologically, Kaposi's sarcoma remains rare in many populations but is more common in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the Mediterranean. The disease is named after Moritz Kaposi, and its etiology involves HHV-8 infection in conjunction with host immune status. The virus is also referred to as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).