Abstract
IntroductionEpstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous virus that infects more than 90% of the world's population, and is implicated in lymphoma pathogenesis. However, in Zambia during the diagnosis of these lymphomas, the association of the virus with the lymphomas is not established. Since most patients with lymphomas have poor prognosis, the identification of the virus within the lymphoma lesion will allow for more targeted therapy. The aim of this study was to provide evidence of the presence of the EBV in lymphomas diagnosed at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia.MethodsOne hundred and fifty archival formalin-fixed paraffin embedded suspected lymphoma tissues stored over a 4-year period in the Histopathology Laboratory at the UTH in Lusaka, Zambia, were analysed. Histological methods were used to identify the lymphomas, and the virus was detected using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Subtyping of the virus was achieved through DNA sequencing of the EBNA-2 region of the viral genome. Chi square or fisher's exact test was used to evaluate the association between EBV status, type of lymphoma and gender.ResultsThe majority of the lymphomas identified were non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) (80%) followed by Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) (20%). EBV was detected in 51.8% of the cases, 54.5% of which were associated with NHL cases, while 40.9% associated with HL cases. The predominant subtype of the virus in both types of lymphomas was subtype 1. One of the lymphoma cases harboured both subtype 1 and 2 of the virus.ConclusionThis study showed that EBV is closely associated with lymphomas. Therefore, providing evidence of the presence of the virus in lymphoma tissues will aid in targeted therapy. To our knowledge this is the first time such data has been generated in Zambia.
Highlights
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous virus that infects more than 90% of the world's population, and is implicated in lymphoma pathogenesis
Diagnosis of lymphomas was examined by Haematoxylin and Eosin staining of the histological sections which were examined by an experienced pathologist and grouped as Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)
The study demonstrated that EBV was detectable in the majority of the lymphomas analysed, the rate of detection being higher in NHL
Summary
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous virus that infects more than 90% of the world's population, and is implicated in lymphoma pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to provide evidence of the presence of the EBV in lymphomas diagnosed at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia. EBV is aetiologically linked to multiple malignancies that include nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Southern Chinese people, a high incidence of Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) in sub-Saharan Africa and a high incidence of infectious mononucleosis in teenagers and young adults in Western countries [4] Each of these exceptional geographical or demographic differences in disease incidence may be accounted for by other cofactors but there has long been interest in the possibility that genetic variation in the EBV in different parts of the world might play a role [5]. The aim of this study was to provide evidence for the presence of EBV in lymphomas diagnosed at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia
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