title: Subtypes of Epstein-Barr virus in human immunodeficiency virus-associated non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
abstract: Biopsy samples obtained from 20 patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) were assessed for evidence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and HIV sequences. DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded NHL tissue and specific viral gene sequences were sought using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). EBV sequences were found in 10 NHL samples (50%), with five tumors showing A-type and five B-type sequences. By serologic testing, 18 of 19 patients had antibodies to EBV, with 14 patients having antibodies to A-type EBV and 11 to B-type EBV. Serology confirmed the high prevalence of type B EBV in HIV-infected patients, but was not a reliable indicator of the EBV subtype present in the lymphomas. HIV sequences were present in biopsy tissue but at a level consistent with an origin from bystander HIV-infected cells. All 20 patients were negative by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies to human T-cell leukemia virus-type I. The high prevalence of type B EBV in these tumors is similar to the findings in endemic Burkitt's lymphoma, where 40% of the tumors have type B viral sequences. In normal populations, type B EBV is rarely found outside the nasopharynx. These studies support the hypothesis that EBV is an important cofactor in NHL in HIV-infected persons. The finding that B-type EBV is present in 25% of HIV-associated NHL suggests that this EBV subtype may be an important human pathogen with a wider geographic distribution than originally thought.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Pathology, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Sewell
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Sculley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Apolloni
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Penny
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D009841:Oligonucleotides