title: Analysis of Epstein-Barr virus infection models in a series of pediatric carriers from a developing country.
abstract: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a B lymphotropic human herpesvirus. Two models, germinal center (GC) and direct infection, describe how EBV infects B-cells. Since in Argentina primary infection is mostly subclinical at young ages, children represent an interesting population where to analyze EBV infection, especially considering that most studies are usually performed in adults. Tonsil biopsies from pediatric carriers were studied to describe infection characteristics. EBV+ lymphocytes at the interfollicular region were mainly observed. Latency III pattern in subepithelial (SubEp) lymphocytes was observed at young ages, probably indicating a recent infection. In older patients EBV was mostly detected in epithelial cells, suggesting that they could have been infected some time ago. This finding was sustained by tonsillar viral load, which was higher in cases with LMP1+SubEp cells vs. LMP1+nonSubEp cells (p = 0.0237, Mann-Whiney test). Latency III was prevalent and related to the GC, while latency II was associated with non-GC (p = 0.0159, χ2 test). EBERs+/IgD+ cells were statistically prevalent over EBERs+/CD27+ cells (p = 0.0021, χ2 test). These findings indicated that both EBV infection models are not mutually exclusive and provide some basis for further understanding of EBV infection dynamics. Moreover, we provide a more accurate explanation of EBV infection in pediatric asymptomatic carriers from a developing country.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Laboratory, Pathology Division, Ricardo Gutiérrez Children's Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Aldana G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Vistarop
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Laboratory, Pathology Division, Ricardo Gutiérrez Children's Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Melina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Pathology Division, Ricardo Gutiérrez Children's Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Matteo
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Laboratory, Pathology Division, Ricardo Gutiérrez Children's Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Victoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Preciado
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Laboratory, Pathology Division, Ricardo Gutiérrez Children's Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Paola A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Chabay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000821:virology*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000166:cytology* / Q000821:virology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019562:Viral Load; D017735:Virus Latency
chemical_list: D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens