SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS (EBV INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH FEVER--A REPORT OF 4 CASES

摘要

Present study describes the clinical features of 4 cases with EBV infection, fhese paticnti had anti-Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen (VGA) specific IgM antibodies, suggesting acute EBV infection. Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) it a B-lymphotropic human virus, belonging to gamma-herpesvirus group. It infects B-lymphocytes through binding to the GD21 (GR2) molecule on the cell surface (Crowe & Mills, 1994). It usually produces a subclinical infection in children while in adolescents and adults it producesthe lymphoproliferative disease of infectious monanucleosis. It is defined by the clinical triad of fever, lymphadenopathy and pharyngitis combined with the transient appearance of IgM heterophile antibodies and an atypical lymphocytosis (Braunwald et al., 1987). EBV is associated with B-cell lymphomas, Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Recently, it has been implicated in pathogenesis of some types of Hodgkin's disease. T-cell lymphomas and carcinomas, suggeting that EBV infects several cell types in visa (Nolan and Morgan, 1995). We herewith, report detection of IgM antibody, reactive against virus capsid antigen of EBV in 4 Saudi patients, suggesting acute EBV infection.