Prevalence of Epstein Barr virus in tissues with suspected lymphoma of lymphoma received by the Department of Clinical Laboratories and Pathology at Roosevelt Hospital between 2022 and 2024, using the EBER-ISH molecular test

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1595352524121

• Palavras-chave: Epstein-Barr, EBER-ISH, Lymphoma, Prevalence, Histopathology

• Keywords: Epstein-Barr, EBER-ISH, Lymphoma, Prevalence, Histopathology

• Abstract:

  Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with various lymphomas and lymphoid neoplasms, so its detection in tissues suspected of malignancy is essential for diagnosis and understanding its role in oncogenesis. In Guatemala, evidence of EBV presence in tissues studied by pathology remains limited. The objective was to determine the prevalence of EBV using the EBER-ISH molecular biomarker in tissues with clinical suspicion of lymphoma received at Roosevelt Hospital between 2022 and 2024, and to describe its distribution according to sociodemographic and histological characteristics.
  Methodology: Descriptive cross-sectional study with 100 tissue samples with clinical suspicion of lymphoma, processed by in situ hybridization for EBER-ISH. Sociodemographic variables, histological classification, and biomarker positivity were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test were applied to evaluate the association between histology and positivity.
  Results: The prevalence of EBV positivity was 48.0% (95% CI: 37.9–58.2). Positivity was concentrated in malignant tissues (47.0%). The mean age was 45.7 years; 51% were men. Among those who tested positive, the most frequent diagnoses were Hodgkin lymphoma e lymphoma (41.7%), NK cell lymphoma (25.0%), and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (10.4%).
  Conclusion: A high prevalence of EBV was observed in tissues with clinical suspicion of lymphoma, highlighting its greater presence in malignant subtypes, especially Hodgkin lymphoma. These findings reinforce the clinical relevance of EBV in lymphoid neoplasms and underscore the need for studies evaluating its prognostic role and potential usefulness as a therapeutic biomarker.