INCIDENCE OF EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS IN AIDS-RELATED LYMPHOMA SPECIMENS

We used the polymerase chain reaction, in situ hybridization, and immu nohistochemical stains against latent membrane protein, CD23, and Epst ein-Barr viral nuclear antigens 1 and 2 to identify Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in fixed and unfixed (cryopreserved) AIDS-related lymphoma (ARL ) specimens. The study included 17 cases of large-cell (immunoblastic) lymphoma, 11 cases of small non-cleaved cell lymphoma, and two cases of Hodgkin's disease. The EBV DNA was more frequently detected by poly merase chain reaction in cryopreserved specimens (94%) than in fixed s pecimens (17%). Significantly, the immunohistochemical and in situ hyb ridization studies detected evidence of EBV in only a small (<10%) sub set of the cells in 27 of 30 ARL specimens. We conclude that tissue fi xation reduced the ability to detect EBV in ARL by polymerase chain re action and that EBV was detectable in only a minority of cells in most ARL tissues.