title: [Determination of plasma EBV DNA in 91 children with EBV-associated diseases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the plasma level of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) DNA in children with EBV associated diseases, and to investigate the dynamic changes of EBV DNA level after initial infection as well as the relationship between EBV DNA level and the diseases severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects consisted of 73 children with primary EBV infection (infectious mononucleosis, pneumonia,etc.) and 18 children with severe EBV-associated diseases (chronic active EBV infection, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, etc.). The plasma EBV DNA level was detected by a real-time PCR assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The plasma EBV DNA level decreased with the infection time in children with primary EBV infection. Two weeks after infection, plasma EBV DNA was almost undetectable. The positive rate of plasma EBV DNA in children with severe EBV associated diseases increased significantly when compared with that in children with primary EBV infection (89% vs 16%; p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The level of EBV replication may be reduced with the infection time. Dynamic determination of blood EBV DNA is useful for the evaluation of disease severity in children with EBV infection.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Zheng-De
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Ying-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Kun-Ling
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000821:virology; D051359:Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic / Q000821:virology; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral