Determination of serological profiles and avidity of specific antibodies in the sera of patients with potential Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection.
BACKGROUND
Epstein-Barr Virus, frequently referred to as EBV, is a member of the herpesvirus family and one of the most common human viruses. The virus occurs worldwide, and most people become infected with EBV sometime during their lives.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the serological profiles of specific antibodies among the sera of suspected EBV infection patients along with VCA-IgG avidity.


METHODS
A total of 522 patient's sera were sent to The Clinical Microbiology Laboratory for EBV specific antibody detection and were studied by IFA method during a two year period. The serum samples were tested for EBV specific VCA IgG, VCA IgM, EA, EBNA antibodies and VCA IgG aviditity.


RESULTS
Among 33 patients those who had low avidity for VCA IgG, 27 (81.8 %) of them had a serologic profile as follows; positive VCA IgG, negative VCA IgM, negative EA and negative EBNA.


CONCLUSIONS
While this profile is considered as a primary infection, the frequency of the coexistence of VCA IgG low avidity with this profile is interpreted that avidity may lead to detect primary infection (Tab. 2, Ref. 25)
Department of Microbiology, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
N
N
Akpolat
M
M
Gedik
S
S
Nergiz
H
H
Bilek
D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; C041788:Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen; D007074:Immunoglobulin G