Epstein-Barr virus in carcinoma of the vulva.

AIMS To detect the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in cases of vulval carcinoma in Chinese patients living in Hong Kong. METHODS Formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded blocks from eight cases of vulval carcinoma and six age matched controls of non-neoplastic vulval tissue were analysed for the presence of EBV DNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS EBV DNA was detected in only one of the eight cases of vulval carcinoma cases while it was detected in four out of the six control cases. CONCLUSIONS There is no demonstrable association between EBV and vulval carcinoma. Detection of EBV in non-neoplastic vulval epithelium highlights its ubiquitous presence in the lower female genital tract.