To determine the prevalence of EBV in the tonsils and adenoids of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) nationals and to provide a basis for understanding the origin and biology of EBV-infected cells, the immunophenotype of all EBV-infected cells in 46 tonsils and 46 adenoids was determined by EBER in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibodies to T cells (CD3), B cells (CD20), and epithelial cells (cytokeratin AE1/AE3), as well as immunostaining with antibodies to EBV latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1).
EBV was found in 43 % of tonsillectomy specimens and 15 % of adenoidectomy specimens. All EBV-infected cells were found to be B lymphocytes. About 90 % of the infected B cells are found in the interfollicular regions of tonsils and adenoids and the remaining 10 % are found within the follicles. There is no significant association between EBV infection, age (P = 0.324) and gender (P = 0.442).
EBV is associated with tonsillar hypertrophy and is prevalent in 43 % of our cases. EBV is only detected in B lymphocytes and we believe that B lymphocytes are sites of primary infection and latency. In situ hybridization is the gold standard for the detection of EBV in tissue.