KSHV-DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in late-EPC cultures from patients with cKS according to their clinical stage and KSHV serology.

aAntibody titers were calculated as the reciprocal of the highest plasma dilution giving positive results.bcKS patients were classified according to our classification that takes into account the prevalent type of lesions, localization, clinical behaviour, evolutive pattern and presence of complications [7], [8].cIn two patients the presence of KSHV-DNA was determined in multiple passages of unstimulated late-EPC cultures.dKSHV-DNA determined in highly pure CD146+ late-EPCs, maintained in culture for further 2 weeks after CD146 sorting.KSHV = Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus; PBMCs = peripheral blood mononuclear cells; late-EPC = late-endothelial progenitor cell;cKS = classic Kaposi's sarcoma; LANA = latency-associated nuclear antigen; GE = genome equivalents.