LACK OF EVIDENCE OF EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS IN HAIRY-CELL LEUKEMIA AND MONOCYTOID B-CELL LYMPHOMA

An association between the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and hairy cell leukemia (HCL) has been reported. Due to the similarities between HCL and monocytoid B-cell lymphoma (MBCL), an association between EBV and MBCL has been postulated. To address these issues we studied 27 spleens from cases with HCL and 13 tissue specimens from cases with MBCL from various sites for evidence of EBV DNA and RNA by in situ hybridization. Using a genomic EBV internal repeat probe and an oligonucleotide probe directed against the EBER1 gene, we were unable to identify EBV DNA or RNA, respectively, in the tumor cells of any of the cases. The results of our study suggest that EBV may not be strongly linked with either HCL or MBCL. © 1993.