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.