Coinfection with A- and B-type Epstein-Barr virus in human immunodeficiency virus-positive subjects.
A possible cofactor in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is divided into two primary types that differ significantly in their transformation efficiency. The B-type EBV cell line is much more difficult to establish than the A-type. The extent of systemic B-type EBV infection was assessed in HIV-positive subjects and controls. Lymphoblastoid cell lines were established from 26 HIV-positive subjects and analyzed for the presence of A- or B-type EBV by Southern analysis and immunoblotting. Some 19% of HIV-positive persons were infected with B-type EBV, 69% with A-type, and 12% with both types. Analysis of the individual strains of EBV harbored by the HIV-positive subjects showed that HIV-induced immunosuppression had not led to increased susceptibility to repeated EBV infections. However, the occurrence of B-type infection in HIV-positive subjects was sixfold higher than that in the general community, indicating that HIV-induced immunodeficiency or HIV itself specifically enhanced the expression of the B-type EBV.
Sculley
T B
TB
Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane.
Apolloni
A
A
Hurren
L
L
Moss
D J
DJ
Cooper
D A
DA
D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D015342:DNA Probes; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization
D015342:DNA Probes