Epstein-Barr virus in biopsies from patients with Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the University of Puerto Rico immunohistochemistry laboratory.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to determine the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) presence rate in our laboratory's lymphoma tissue biopsies for comparison with that reported in literature.

BACKGROUND

The presence of EBV has been established in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), endemic Burkitt Lymphoma and some non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). It has been linked to geographic, ethnic and socioeconomic factors, with a lower rate in developed countries.

METHODS

We used the immunoperoxidase technique to determine the rate of the EBV LMP-1 in eighty-seven biopsies diagnosed as lymphoma. Tissue slides were stained using the Ventana Automated Slide Stainer with the DAKO EBV LMP-1 primary antibody and the results were analyzed with the SYSTAT program.

RESULTS

We found an LMP-1 positive rate of 50% for 22 cases of HL and 35% for 63 cases of NHL. Among HL, 5 were children and 16 were adults, with LMP-1 positive rates of 60% and 50% respectively. Among NHL, 3 were children and 59 were adults, with equal LMP-1 positive rates of 33%. The sex LMP-1 positive rates for HL were 42% for 12 males and 60% for 10 females. Among NHL, the sex LMP-1 positive rates were 39% for 38 males and 28% for 27 females. NHL was further subdivided into subtypes and LMP-1 primary antibody positive rates were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a similar presence rate of EBV in the HL biopsies to that of developed countries, but a similar presence rate of EBV in NHL biopsies to that of developing countries.