Prevalence, tropism, and activity of cutavirus in circulating blood lymphocytes, stool, and skin biopsy specimens of patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and parapsoriasis en plaques.

CTCL is a heterogeneous group of skin malignancies of T cells, the cause of which remains unknown.

Cutavirus DNA persisted in the skin or peripheral blood mononuclear cells for up to 15 years, despite circulating cutavirus-specific IgG.

Finally, cutavirus was observed to target circulating and skin-resident CD4 + T cells and some skin keratinocytes and macrophages.

This is especially intriguing as malignant T cells in CTCL develop from CD4 + T cells.