title: Absence of Epstein-Barr virus carrying cells in synovial membranes and subcutaneous nodules of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the Epstein-Barr virus is present in synovial membranes and subcutaneous nodules of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sensitive in situ hybridisation technique was applied to tissue sections of 11 synovial membranes and five rheumatoid nodules.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cells carrying the Epstein-Barr virus were not detected using EBER and BHLF1 oligonucleotides in the tissue samples investigated here.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although it has been suggested that the Epstein-Barr virus could play a part in the aetiology of rheumatoid arthritis, it was not detected in synovial membranes and subcutaneous lesions in this study.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Central d'Anatomie Pathologique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Purpan, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brousset
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caulier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cantagrel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dromer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazières
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delsol
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D012218:Rheumatoid Nodule / Q000382:microbiology*; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000382:microbiology*