title: Quantification of Epstein-Barr virus-DNA load in lung transplant recipients: a comparison of plasma versus whole blood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Monitoring of the Epstein-Barr virus-DNA load is frequently used to identify patients at risk for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD). Epstein-Barr virus DNA can be measured in the plasma and whole blood serum compartments.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared levels of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in whole blood and plasma using a real-time TaqMan polymerase chain reaction assay in 100 consecutive paired whole blood and plasma samples from 25 lung and heart-lung transplant recipients with detectable whole blood Epstein-Barr virus-DNA load (>2,000 copies/ml).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A correlation (r2) of 0.58 (p < 0.001) was observed between both measurements, whereas of the positive whole blood samples (>2,000 copies/ml), only 17 samples (18%) were also positive in plasma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that by virtue of its sensitivity, whole blood rather than plasma may be the preferable specimen for the detection of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in lung transplant recipients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. n.a.bakker@int.umcg.nl
authors.forename: Nicolaas A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Bakker
authors.forename: Erik A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Verschuuren
authors.forename: Nic J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Veeger
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van der Bij
authors.forename: Gustaaf W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: van Imhoff
authors.forename: Cees G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Kallenberg
authors.forename: Bouke G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Hepkema
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001769:Blood / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010949:Plasma / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral