Detection of EBV in reactive and neoplastic lymphoproliferations in adults—when and how?

Lymphoproliferations associated with Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) in adult patients pose a diagnostic challenge for pathologists for several reasons. First, the EBV lymphoproliferations represent a clinically and histologically very broad spectrum ranging from self-limiting lymphoproliferations to manifest malignant lymphomas. Second, the classification of these diseases is not solely based on histopathology but rather requires a synopsis of clinical as well as pathological features. And third, a resource-efficient diagnostic procedure demands a deliberate strategy for selecting the tissue specimens that are to be tested for EBV. We describe how the clinical context and histological features may indicate to histopathologists which lymphatic tissues should be tested for the presence of EBV and how these features guide the classification. We provide recommendations as to which biopsy specimens should be investigated for EBV and which methods for detecting viral association are appropriate.