title: Lymphoproliferative disorders in Costa Rica and simian virus 40.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Simian virus 40 (SV40) is an oncogenic DNA virus implicated in some human malignancies, including lymphomas. In the present masked case-control study, we investigated the prevalence of SV40 sequences and the expression of the viral oncoprotein, large tumor antigen (T-ag), in lymphomas and control specimens from patients negative for the human immunodeficiency virus in Costa Rica.
  
  
  METHODS
  Coded specimens were anlyzed by polymerase chain reaction for SV40 and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). SV40 sequences were confirmed by Southern blot and DNA sequence analysis. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of SV40 T-ag in coded samples and to immunophenotype the lymphomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When samples were decoded, SV40 DNA sequences were detected significantly more often in lymphomas than in control samples (30/125, 24% vs. 0/91, 0%; p=0.001). SV40 DNA was detected in 26% and 10% of non-Hodgkin's and Hodgkin's lymphomas, respectively. EBV DNA was detected in 10% of lymphomas and 33% of control specimens. None of the lymphomas was positive for both SV40 and EBV. Expression of SV40 T-ag was detected in 64% of B-cell lymphomas that contained T-ag DNA sequences and in none of the samples negative for viral DNA. Not all cells in a positive tumor expressed T-ag and the reactions were relatively low intensity. A germinal center B-cell-like profile was frequently associated with SV40-positive lymphomas. Of note, 20% of patients with SV40-related lymphomas were born in the 1970s and 1980s.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that SV40 is significantly associated with some B-cell neoplasms in Costa Rica today.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital San Juan de Dios, San Jose, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meneses
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lopez-Terrada
authors.forename: Preeti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zanwar
authors.forename: Deanna E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Killen
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Monterroso
authors.forename: Janet S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Butel
authors.forename: Regis A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Vilchez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003364:Costa Rica / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004340:Drug Contamination; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000821:virology; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000821:virology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000821:virology; D011054:Poliovirus Vaccine, Inactivated / Q000009:adverse effects*; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D019310:Pseudolymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; D004279:DNA, Viral; D011054:Poliovirus Vaccine, Inactivated