Abstract:Objective: To determine the plasma level of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in children with EBV-associated diseases, and to investigate the dynamic changes of EBV DNA level after initial infection as well as the relationship between EBV-DNA level and the diseases severity. Methods: The subjects consisted of 73 children with primary EBV infection (infectious mononucleosis, pneumonia,etc.) and 18 children with severe EBV-associated diseases (chronic active EBV infection, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, etc.). The plasma EBV DNA level was detected by a real-time PCR assay.Results: The plasma EBV DNA level decreased with the infection time in children with primary EBV infection. Two weeks after infection, plasma EBV DNA was almost undetectable. The positive rate of plasma EBV DNA in children with severe EBV-associated diseases increased significantly when compared with that in children with primary EBV infection (89% vs 16%; P<0.05). Conclusions: The level of EBV replication may be reduced with the infection time. Dynamic determination of blood EBV DNA is useful for the evaluation of disease severity in children with EBVinfection.[Chin J Contemp Pediatr, 2009, 11 (11):897-900]
[4]Kimura H, Hoshino Y, Kanegane H, Tsuge I, Okamura T, Kawa K, et al. Clinical and virologic characteristics of chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection[J]. Blood, 2001, 98(2):280-286.
[9]Berger C, Day P, Meier G, Zingg W,Bossart W, Nadal D. Dynamics of Epstein-Barr virus DNA levels in serum during EBV-associated disease[J]. J Med Virol, 2001, 64(4): 505-512.
[10]Kasahara Y, Yachie A. Cell type specific infection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in EBV-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and chronic active EBV infection[J]. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol, 2002, 44(3):283-294.
[11]Teramura T, Tabata Y, Yagi T, Morimoto A, Hibi S, Imashuku S. Quantitative analysis of cell-free Epstein-Barr virus genome copy number in patients with EBV-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis[J]. Leuk Lymphoma, 2002, 43(4):173-179.
[12]Imashuku S. Clinical features and treatment strategies of Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis[J]. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol, 2002, 44:259-272.
[13]Kimura H, Morishima T, Kanegane H, Ohga S, Hoshino Y, Maeda A, et al. Prognostic factors for chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection[J]. J Infect Dis, 2003, 187(4):527-533.
[14]Yamashita N, Kimura H, Morishima T. Virological aspects of Epstein-Barr virus infections[J]. Acta Med Okayama, 2005, 59(6): 239-246.
[15]Okan M. Overview and problematic standpoints of severe chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection syndrome[J]. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol, 2002, 44:273-282.
[16]Ryan JL, Fan H, Swinnen LJ, Schichman SA, Raab-Traub N, Covington M, et al. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in plasma is not encapsidated in patients with EBV-related malignancies[J]. Diagn Mol Pathol, 2004, 13(2):61-68.