The third aim was to investigate KSHV molecular epidemiology in blood donors through sequence determination of specific nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and RT-PCR products from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of KSHV-seropositive donors. The 2,000 blood samples from San Antonio were also used to amplify KSHV sequences from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of KSHV positive donors using PCR, nested PCR and RT-PCR with and without phorbol ester induction. Sequencing of amplified products was compared to KSHV isolates from New York, Italy, England, and Africa for phylogenetic analysis and assessment of diversity and distribution of KSHV strains in Texas. While the proposed sampling represented only one center in Texas, comparison to isolates for New York and abroad allowed determination of the likelihood that Texas strains were unique or imported from Europe or Africa.