Background: The burden of lymphomas on the health care system in
Nigeria is enormous. Correct diagnosis and identification of
aetiological factor are important steps in reducing this burden.
Methods: Eight cases diagnosed as HL within a period of six years at
the Obafemi Awolowo University teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria by
haematoxylin and eosin (Hand E) only were immunophenotyped using the
indirect immunoperoxidase method. Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane
protein-1 (LMP-1), CD15 and CD30 immunohistochemistry was also
performed. The clinical characteristics of each patient were
documented. Objectives: To document the frequency of involvement of
Epstein-Barr virus in cases of HL seen in a university hospital in
Nigeria. Results: Out of the eight cases diagnosed by H&E as HL
immunophenotyping showed only five were HL. The rest were non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma (2 diffuse large B-cell and 1 null cell ALCL). All were cases
of classical HL with 60% being of the mixed cellularity (MC) subtype.
There were 2 males and 3 females with ages ranging from 7 years to 40
years. All presented with cervical lymphadenopathy and three had
splenomegaly in addition. 60% of the tumour was EBV positive, all of
the MC subtype. Three patients had chemotherapy. Eventually all were
lost to follow-up. There was no case of the nodular lymphocyte
predominance variant. Conclusion: Mixed cellularity is the most
common subtype and is the only subtype associated with EBV positivity
in this study. Epstein-Barr virus probably plays an important role in
the aetiology of HL in Nigerians
