Determination of serological profiles and avidity of specific antibodies in the sera of patients with potential Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection.

ABSTRACT

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. OBJECTIVES: 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. CONCLUSION: 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)