New Candidate Virus in Association with Hodgkin's Disease

• Published in: Leukemia & lymphoma Vol. 44; no. 4; pp. 605 - 610
• Main Authors: Benharroch, D., Shemer-Avni, Y., Levy, A., Myint, Y.Y., Ariad, S., Rager, B., Sacks, M., Gopas, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Informa UK Ltd 01.01.2003; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Epstein-Barr Virus; Female; Herpesvirus 4, Human - pathogenicity; Hodgkin Disease - epidemiology; Hodgkin Disease - etiology; Hodgkin Disease - virology; Hodgkin's Disease; Humans; Male; Measles Virus; Measles virus - pathogenicity; RNA, Viral - metabolism; Time Factors; Young Adults
• ISSN: 1042-8194; 1029-2403
• DOI: 10.1080/1042819021000037994

Epidemiologic and molecular investigations of Hodgkin's disease (HD) suggest a strong infectious association. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), together with its viral proteins, is expressed in Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells in the lymph nodes involved by HD. EBV is more likely to be related to childhood and older adult cases of HD and is much less frequently expressed in young adult HD patients, the group most expected to be associated with an infectious agent. In addition, the "hit and run" theory of EBV infection remains speculative and no other lymphotropic viruses studied to date seem to satisfy the quest for a new candidate virus in young adults with HD. We have recently found preliminary evidence suggesting a possible association between the measles virus (MV) and HD. This evidence is the subject of the present review.