title: Epstein-Barr virus genotypes and strains in central nervous system demyelinating disease and Epstein-Barr virus-related illnesses in Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genotypes and strains in samples from individuals with and without a first diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating disease (a possible precursor to multiple sclerosis) and patients with EBV-associated diseases in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples from 55 EBV DNA and serology positive subjects including individuals with (n = 17) and without (n = 21) a first clinical diagnosis of CNS demyelination and patients with EBV-related diseases (n = 17) were examined. EBV genotype and strain were identified by sequence mutations within the Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-2 region (EBNA-2) using DNA sequence analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both EBV genotypes, A and B, were detected (genotype A, 54/55, 98.2%; genotype B, 1/55, 1.8%). Within genotype A, GD1 was the most commonly detected strain (42/54, 77.7%), followed by B95-8 (9/54, 16.7%) and M-ABA (3/54, 5.6%). Genotype B, strain AG876, was found in one individual with CNS demyelinating disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EBV genotype A and the GD1 strain were the common EBV genotypes isolated from individuals with and without CNS demyelinating disease, and in subjects with various EBV-related diseases. Although disease-specific genotypes or strains were not identified, this study provides useful insights into the molecular epidemiology of EBV infection in Australia.
authors.affiliation: Virology Department,University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia. mlay4697 @ uni.sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Meav-Lang J
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lay
authors.forename: Robyn M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toi
authors.forename: Mala
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ratnamohan
authors.forename: Anne-Louise
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ponsonby
authors.forename: Dominic E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Dwyer
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000821:virology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology*; D005838:Genotype; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral