Direct Detection of Epstein‐Barr Virus DNA from a Single Reed‐Sternberg Cell of Hodgkin's Disease by Polymerase Chain Reaction

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Abstract
Eleven cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD) were examined for the presence of the Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) genome, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect EBV DNA in whole paraffin‐embedded tissue specimens and in single cells picked out from the specimens with a micromanipulator. The EBV genome was detected in 5 of the 11 cases by conventional PCR. Single cell PCR demonstrated the EBV genome in Reed‐Sternberg cells from all the EBV‐positive cases, but not from any of the EBV‐negative cases. Background lymphocytes and lysozyme‐positive histiocytes from EBV‐positive cases did not contain the EBV genome. These results indicate an etiological association of EBV with some cases of HD.