DETECTION OF EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS GENOME IN CASES OF HODGKIN'S DISEASE USING THE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

Abstract

The present thesis aimed at detection of EBV genome in tissues involved by HD, and correlation of its presence with histologic subtypes of HD as well as age and sex of the patients. In addition, the clonality of ' EBV was investigated.

44 cases of HD and 10 cases of reactive lymph nodes (control cases) were collected from the Department of Pathology, Alexandria University, Faculty ofMedicine.

A revision of the available clinical data and pathological reports was carried out. Resectioning of paraffin blocks was done followed by staining with H&E, the stained sections were reviewed and subtyped according to the Rye classificationc42) into MCHD (17 cases; 38.6%),

NSHD (13 cases; 29.6%), LPHD (9 cases; 20.4%), and LDHD (5 cases;

11.4%). MCHD was the commonest subtype in the studied cases ofHD.

Males were affected more than females with a M : F sex ratio =

2.7: 1. The age of the patients ranged from 4.5 to 67 years with a mean age of 28.4 years. The commonest clinical presentation was that of lymphadenopath y either localized or generalized.

PCR amp]ification of EB V in HD cases and control cases revealed a relatively high prevalence of the vi rus in both conditions. However, statistical analysis showed no significant difference between HD cases and co ntrol cases as regards EBV positivity.