Nasal natural killer lymphoma associated with Epstein-Barr virus in a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus

Nasal natural killer (NK) lymphoma associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a rare lymphoma that has not yet been reported in patients with human i mmunodeficiency virus (HIV). This report describes the first case, to our k nowledge, of nasal NK cell lymphoma in an HIV-positive patient. A 50-year-o ld African man presented with an obstructive nasopharyngeal tumor, leading to the diagnosis of HIV infection. Nasal biopsy specimens showed NK cell ly mphoma, confirmed on nasal tissues by morphologic, immunohistochemical, and polymerase chain reaction studies using a denaturing gradient gel electrop horesis technique that showed no T-cell receptor gamma rearrangement. The E BV was detected by in situ hybridization. The patient received chemotherapy but died from infection. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of nasal NK cell lymphoma associated with EBV in an HIV patient. Involveme nt of EBV in HIV non-B-cell lymphomas may represent a further manifestation of opportunistic EBV infection arising in these patients.