title: Prevalence of IgA specific antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus capsid and early antigens in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Ninety-one patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and 164 age-matched healthy controls were tested for presence of IgA antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen (VCA) and early antigen (EA) in their sera by indirect ELISA using "EBViral DETECT" commercial test kit. IgA anti-VCA was found in 76 (83.5%) of NPC patients and 16 (9.8%) of the controls. Meanwhile, IgA anti-EA was found in 72 (79.1%) of NPC patients and 21 (12.8%) of the controls. In a parallel study by indirect immunofluorescence test (IIF), IgA anti-VCA was found in 77 of 91 (84.6%) NPC patients and 22 of 142 (15.5%) controls. The prevalence rates of anti-VCA as screened by ELISA and IIF were very similar suggesting that neither one of the two tests can be used alternatively depending on the purpose and facilities in each individual laboratory. IgA antibodies to VCA and EA were more prevalence in NPC patients than those in the controls, the finding which again supported the association between EBV and NPC as was suggested in many other reports.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puthavathana
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kositanont
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chongkolwatana
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Metheetrairut
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chantarakul
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nuntarakchaikul
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wasi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002213:Capsid / Q000276:immunology*; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; C041788:Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen; C033305:Epstein-Barr virus early antigen; D007070:Immunoglobulin A