title: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA levels in palatine tonsils and autologous serum from EBV carriers.
abstract: A real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to detect and quantitate Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in tonsils and autologous sera from EBV-seropositive children. EBV DNA was found in 95% of tonsils from 21 children and in 50% from 18 children with serum IgG titers to the virus capsid antigen (VCA) of > or =1:160 and 1:10 to 1:80, respectively (P = 0.002). Tonsils from children with titers > or =1:160 harbored more EBV DNA copies per mg tissue (mean, 1,237; range, < 2-13,998) than from children with titers 1:10 to 1:80 (mean, 23; range, < 2-226; P < 0.0001). By contrast, EBV DNA was detected only in serum from 25% of 20 children with titers > or = 1:160. Thus, ample differences in tonsillar EBV replication are mirrored inconstantly by detectable EBV in autologous serum suggesting that EBV DNA quantitation in tonsils may serve for refined monitoring of individuals at risk of EBV-associated lymphoproliferation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, University Children's Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. david.nadal@kispi.unizh.ch
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nadal
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blasius
authors.forename: Felix K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Niggli
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral