Aim:

We aimed to investigate a probable role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV type-1) by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) in pathogene-sis of chronic recurrent tonsillitis/adenotonsillar hypertrophy (CRT/ATH).

Materials and Methods:

Adenotonsillectomy materials of fifty cases with CRT/ATH were included in the study. EBV LMP1, EBNA-2, EBV early Ag, HSV tip-1, CD3, D10, CD20, CD21 and CD56 antibo-dies in IHC and DNA-DNA hybridization for EBV in ISH were performed on paraffin sections.

Results:

Age of cases ranged from 4 to 32 years. Thirty-two cases were female and 18 cases were male. EBV genome was determined in 8 cases (16%), while HSV type 1 was not observed in any ca-ses. The positive lymphoid cells for EBV were observed in extrafollicular areas of lymphoid tissues, while only 2 cases were also positive for EBV early antigen in squamous cells in addition to positive lymphoid cells in extrafollicular areas. In only 4 of cases (8%), EBV genome was determined by ISH. Postive lymphoid cells for EBV genome were CD20 (+) B-lymphocytes.

Conclusion:

The rate of cases bearing EBV genome in our study (%16) was within the limits repor-ted in the literature. The low rate (8%) of positive cases determined by ISH for EBV could be due to the factors such as heat and humidity of environment directly affected the results of process. The location and subtypes of positive lymphoid cells for EBV were concordant with data of literature. The articles investigating a probable relation between EBV and CRT/ATH are more than that of HSV in the literature. Although the meaningful results have been obtained from these studies, the results which will be obtained from the larger series are needed. The number of articles searching a probable relation between HSV and CRT/ATH are very few and for this reason, it is not possible to talk about a probable relation.

Keywords: chronic recurrent tonsillitis,adenotonsillar hypertrophy,EBV,HSV Type I