Objective: To develop a sensitive non-isotopic method for in situ detection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in paraffin-embedded section of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissue.
Methods: The EBV BamHI-W fragment labeled with digoxigenin as probe was used to perform in situ hybridization and PCR in situ hybridization (in situ PCR).
Results: The method of in situ PCR for the detection of EBV in NPC tissue was proved to be much more sensitive than in situ hybridization.
Conclusion: Hybridization in situ of PCR product is useful to detect EBV in NPC tissues.