Herpes Viruses have been implicated in the etiology of Hodgkin's disease (H
D). We studied the prevalence of human cytomegalovirus (CMV), human herpes
viruses type-6 (HHV-6), type-7 (HHV-7) and type 8 (HHV-8) DNA in up to 88 H
odgkin's disease biopsies in comparison to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA by
polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) and reactive l
esions served as controls. CMV and HHV-6 were found in 8/86 (9%) and 11/88
(13%) HD cases, respectively, by nested primer PCR. Except for three cases
harbouring HHV-6 type-B, only HHV-6 type-A was detected in HD. HHV-7 was ob
served by nested PCR in 33/88 (38%) HD cases and was already detectable in
15/88 (17%) HD cases by a single-round PCR indicating elevated virus copy n
umbers. Seven of these cases showed co-infection with HHV-6, and 11 cases w
ere found to contain EBV DNA. 7/8 CMV-positive HD cases also harboured EBV
DNA. HHV-8 DNA was not detected by single round or nested PCR in any HD cas
e investigated. Thus, CMV, HHV-6, and HHV-7 were present in small proportio
ns of HD cases, with frequent co-infection of HHV-6 and HHV-7, and frequent
association with EBV. In contrast to EBV, beta-herpes viruses are therefor
e unlikely to have a role in the aetiology of HD. Rather, the presence of t
hese viruses seems to reflect impaired immunological surveillance. (C) 2000
Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.