Abstract
The human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) was initially described and characterised in Kaposi's sarcoma tissue. The virus was found in the lesion of most cases of Kaposi's sarcoma. Whilst there is a large body of evidence to implicate its role in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma, it has recently been found that the virus may also be important in a number of other human neoplasias. This review will examine the molecular pathology of HHV8 in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma and summarise the current evidence and postulated mechanisms in its role in other human neoplasias.