title: Quantitative analysis of Epstein-Barr virus load by using a real-time PCR assay.
abstract: To measure the virus load in patients with symptomatic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections, we used a real-time PCR assay to quantify the amount of EBV DNA in blood. The real-time PCR assay could detect from 2 to over 10(7) copies of EBV DNA with a wide linear range. We estimated the virus load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) from patients with symptomatic EBV infections. The mean EBV-DNA copy number in the PBMNC was 10(3.7) copies/microg of DNA in patients with EBV-related lymphoproliferative disorders, 10(4.1) copies/microg of DNA in patients with chronic active EBV infections, and 10(2.2) copies/microg of DNA in patients with infectious mononucleosis. These numbers were significantly larger than those in either posttransplant patients or immunocompetent control patients without EBV-related diseases. In a patient with infectious mononucleosis, the virus load decreased as the symptoms resolved. The copy number of EBV DNA in PBMNC from symptomatic EBV infections was correlated with the EBV-positive cell number determined by the in situ hybridization assay (r = 0.842; P < 0.0001). These results indicate that the real-time PCR assay is useful for diagnosing symptomatic EBV infection and for monitoring the virus load.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan. hkimura@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yabuta
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuzushima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morishima
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006493:Heparin; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006493:Heparin