title: Assessment of immunological changes in Epstein-Barr virus co-infection in Egyptian chronic HCV patients.
abstract: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) plays a major role in liver pathology. Similar to other members of the herpesvirus family, EBV establishes a persistent infection in more than 90% of adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of EBV and chronic hepatitis C co-infection (HCV) on biochemical and immunological responses in patients. The study was conducted in 62 patients and 33 apparently healthy controls. Patients were divided into three groups: group I, consisting of 31 patients with chronic hepatitis C infection (CHC), group II, consisting of eight patients with EBV infection and without HCV infection and group III, consisting of 23 patients with EBV and chronic HCV. The percentage of CD3⁺ cells, helper CD4⁺ cells and CD19⁺ B-cells was measured by flow cytometry. Human interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin (IL)-15 levels were measured by an ELISA. The levels of liver alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase enzymes were higher in EBV/HCV patients compared to that in EBV and HCV mono-infected patients. EBV/HCV patients had significantly reduced percentages of CD3⁺ and CD4⁺ cells compared to EBV patients. Serum IFN-γ levels were significantly reduced in EBV/HCV patients (3.86 pg/mL) compared to CHC patients (6.76 pg/mL) and normal controls (4.69 pg/mL). A significant increase in serum IL-15 levels was observed in EBV/HCV patients (67.7 pg/mL) compared to EBV patients (29.3 pg/mL). Taken together, these observations suggest that HCV and EBV co-infection can potentiate immune response dampening in patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shoman
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nabil
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Biotechnology, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tabl
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hussam
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghanem
authors.affiliation: National Liver Institute, Menufia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Sherif El
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kafrawy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D060085:Coinfection / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004534:Egypt; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D019409:Interleukin-15; D012367:RNA, Viral; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase