Detection of Epstein‐Barr virus in Reed‐Sternberg cells of Hodgkin's disease arising in children

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Abstract
Nonisotopic in situ hybridization has been used to investigate the role of Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) in the aetiology of pediatric Hodgkin's disease. Sections from 24 cases arising in children under the age of 15 years were hybridised with digoxigenin‐labelled probes for both EBV and cytomegalovirus, and reactive sites were identified by a sensitive three‐layer immunoperoxidase technique.EBV was identified in Reed‐Sternberg and mononuclear Hodgkin's cells in five samples (21%). No samples were positive when the cytomegalovirus probe was employed. The specific identification of EBV in the malignant cells of Hodgkin's disease arising in children lends further support for a role of EBV in the aetiology of this disorder.