Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV), two of the most prevalent human herpesviruses, cause a wide spectrum of diseases and symptoms and are associated with serious health problem. In this study, we developed an internal control reference recombinase-aided amplification (ICR-RAA) assay for the rapid detection of EBV and CMV within 30 min. The assay had a sensitivity of 5 and 1 copies/test for EBV and CMV, respectively, with no cross reaction with other pathogens. In comparison with those of the commercial quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), the sensitivity of the EBV and CMV ICR-RAAs using extracted DNA was 93.33% and 84.84%, respectively; the specificity was 98.75% and 100.00%, respectively; and the Kappa values were 0.930 and 0.892 (
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cytomegalovirus/genetics* ; Cytomegalovirus Infections/virology* ; DNA, Viral/analysis* ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/virology* ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human/genetics* ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; Recombinases/genetics* ; Young Adult

A 20-month-old male infant with multiorgan dysfunction after Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection developed Reye's syndrome. He also suffered from acute liver failure, life-threatening cerebral edema, severe disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and myocardial involvement. EBV infection aggravated the progress of Reye's syndrome, leading to death despite full supportive and symptomatic therapy. This critical case suggested that pediatricians should pay attention to multiorgan involvement of severe EBV infection.
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/complications* ; Fatal Outcome ; Herpesvirus 4, Human/physiology* ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Multiple Organ Failure/complications* ; Reye Syndrome/virology*

BackgroundHemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is a severe complication, which can lead to rapid disease development and higher morality. However, this has not been given enough attention in adult HLH. Therefore, we carried out this study to analyze the clinical features, laboratory findings, treatment outcomes, and other characteristics of adult HLH with CNS involvement.

MethodsA retrospective analysis of 96 adult patients with HLH combined with CNS involvement between June 2003 and December 2016 was conducted. Clinical features, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) features, image changes, and therapeutic outcomes were analyzed.

ResultsAmong the 96 patients, 86 had various CNS symptoms and 33 (38.4%) had already presented symptoms before the HLH diagnosis was confirmed. A total of 59 patients received CSF examinations and showed abnormalities in 23 patients (39.0%). Seventy patients received imaging examinations and the results showed fifty patients with imaging changes (71.4%). Fifty-seven patients received multiple rounds of repeated intrathecal injection therapy and 35 patients improved (61.4%). As for the multiple analyses of effective factors on survival time, the results showed that the effects of combined Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection (P = 0.026, Exp(B) = 2.309, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.108, 4.823) and intrathecal injection therapy (P = 0.013, Exp(B) = 0.422, 95% CI [0.214, 0.831]) on the survival time of the CNS-HLH patients were significant.

ConclusionsComplication with EBV infection is a risk factor, and intrathecal injection is a protective factor. CNS involvement in HLH is not rare, which can result in a poor prognosis. Multiple rounds of repeated intrathecal injection therapy can improve the prognosis of CNS-HLH patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Central Nervous System ; pathology ; virology ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; pathology ; virology ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

There has been increasing interest in standardized and quantitative Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA testing for the management of EBV disease. We evaluated the performance of the Real-Q EBV Quantification Kit (BioSewoom, Korea) in whole blood (WB). Nucleic acid extraction and real-time PCR were performed by using the MagNA Pure 96 (Roche Diagnostics, Germany) and 7500 Fast real-time PCR system (Applied Biosystems, USA), respectively. Assay sensitivity, linearity, and conversion factor were determined by using the World Health Organization international standard diluted in EBV-negative WB. We used 81 WB clinical specimens to compare performance of the Real-Q EBV Quantification Kit and artus EBV RG PCR Kit (Qiagen, Germany). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for the Real-Q kit were 453 and 750 IU/mL, respectively. The conversion factor from EBV genomic copies to IU was 0.62. The linear range of the assay was from 750 to 10⁶ IU/mL. Viral load values measured with the Real-Q assay were on average 0.54 log₁₀ copies/mL higher than those measured with the artus assay. The Real-Q assay offered good analytical performance for EBV DNA quantification in WB.
DNA, Viral/*blood/metabolism ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/diagnosis/virology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Humans ; Limit of Detection ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Africa ; epidemiology ; Asia, Southeastern ; epidemiology ; Carcinoma ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; pathogenicity ; Humans ; Middle East ; epidemiology ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; etiology ; virology

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a gamma herpes virus associated with several types of malignancies. The EBV encodes viral microRNAs (miRNAs) that can target genes within cells. The EBV participates in signal transduction as well as the proliferation and differentiation of cells. How the target genes and functions of EBV-encoded miRNAs contribute to the pathogenesis of EBV is an important research topic. Some target genes have been validated since EBV-encoded miRNAs were discovered and, in this article, we summarize them and their functions.
Animals ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; genetics ; metabolism ; virology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; metabolism

Castleman Disease ; virology ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; complications ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: Research on how the risk of gastric cancer increases with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is lacking. In a systematic review that investigated studies published until September 2014, the authors did not calculate the summary odds ratio (SOR) due to heterogeneity across studies. Therefore, we include here additional studies published until October 2015 and conduct a meta-analysis with meta-regression that controls for the heterogeneity among studies. METHODS: Using the studies selected in the previously published systematic review, we formulated lists of references, cited articles, and related articles provided by PubMed. From the lists, only case-control studies that detected EBV in tissue samples were selected. In order to control for the heterogeneity among studies, subgroup analysis and meta-regression were performed. RESULTS: In the 33 case-control results with adjacent non-cancer tissue, the total number of test samples in the case and control groups was 5280 and 4962, respectively. In the 14 case-control results with normal tissue, the total number of test samples in case and control groups was 1393 and 945, respectively. Upon meta-regression, the type of control tissue was found to be a statistically significant variable with regard to heterogeneity. When the control tissue was normal tissue of healthy individuals, the SOR was 3.41 (95% CI, 1.78 to 6.51; I-squared, 65.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study support the argument that EBV infection increases the risk of gastric cancer. In the future, age-matched and sex-matched case-control studies should be conducted.
Case-Control Studies ; DNA, Viral/analysis/metabolism ; Databases, Factual ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/*pathology/virology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human/genetics/isolation & purification/*pathogenicity ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Stomach Neoplasms/*pathology/virology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the prevalence of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) infection in patients following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

METHODSThe occurrence of EBV viremia, EBV disease and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) were retrospectively analyzed in 736 patients received allo-HSCT in single-center from 1st January 2012 through July 31th, 2014.

RESULTSOf 736 patients (302 male and 434 females) with a median age of 31 (2 to 62) years old, EBV infection occurred in 181 patients, the total incidence of EBV infection was 27.6%, with a median time of 57 (16 to 829) days. The cumulative incidences of probable EBV disease and PTLD were 7.2% (13/181) and 2.8% (5/181). Viral load higher than 1.0×10(4) copies/ml occurs in 130 patients, of which 67 patients received rituximab as pre-empty prophylaxis and significantly reduced the incidences of probable EBV disease and PTLD (6.0% vs 22.2%, P=0.009). The mortality was 27.6% in all patients with EBV infection: 24.5% in EBV viremia, 53.8% in probable EBV disease, and 60.6% in PTLD. By univariate and multivariate analysis, the use of anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG), HLA-mismatch HSCT, cGVHD and CMV reactivation were independent risk factors for EBV infection. The time of first EBV reactivation was closely related with cGVHD(OR=0.620, 95%CI 0.453-0.849, P=0.003) and bone marrow or cord blood (OR=1.156, 95%CI 1.022-2.250, P=0.039) as source of stem cells for transplantation.

CONCLUSIONEBV reactivation is a common complication in patients with allo-HSCT, especially high mortality in PTLD and probable EBV disease. The use of ATG, HLA-mismatch HSCT, cGVHD and CMV reactivation were independent risk factors for EBV infection. The usage of rituximab as pre-empty prophylaxis may reduce the incidences of probable EBV disease and PTLD.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antilymphocyte Serum ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; complications ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; complications ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Rituximab ; therapeutic use ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Viral Load ; Virus Activation ; Young Adult

Extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma is a relatively uncommon type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is prevalently distributed in Asia and South America, and is highly associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Due to its highly aggressive course and poor response to treatment because of its multi-drug resistance, for the timebeing there is not yet a definite treatment strategy. The clinical manifestation, pathological diagnosis and the progress of treatment methods of ENTNKCL are reviewed below.
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; complications ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell ; diagnosis ; therapy ; virology