title: Detection of a second widespread strain of Epstein-Barr virus.
abstract: The prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) type B, which was previously found mainly in equatorial Africa, was investigated with the polymerase chain reaction in a population of healthy adults in Memphis, Tennessee. EBV was detected in the throat washings of 34 (22%) of 157 randomly selected donors, 14 (41%) of whom had type B virus and 17 (50%) type A; 3 donors (9%) had both strains. 18 additional adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection and 6 severely immunocompromised children were also investigated. Results indicated that type B EBV is widespread in nature and may be reactivated by immunodeficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Sixbey
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shirley
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Chesney
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Buntin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Resnick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000382:microbiology; D005838:Genotype; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes