ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the expression of Epstein-Barr virus DNA(EBV DNA)in the peripheral blood lymphocytes and plasma of patients with EBV-associated diseases.Methods The whole blood samples were collected from 112 patients with suspected EB virus infection diseases,including 14 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC),16 cases of infectious mononucleosis(IM),22 cases of lymphoma,23 cases of autoimmune disease,26 cases of upper respiratory tract infection, and 11 cases of abnormal liver function.The levels of EBV DNA in lymphocytes and plasma of the same sample were detec-ted by fluorescence quantitative PCR(FQ-PCR).Results The EBV DNA positive rates in lymphocytes and plasma of all 112 patients were 83.0%(93/112)and 27.7%(31/112)respectively,with statistically significant difference(χ2=60.02,P<0.01).The positive rate and the load of EB virus DNA in lymphocytes and plasma of 14 patients with nasopharyngeal car-cinoma(NPC)had no statistical difference(χ2=2.25,t=-1.04,all P>0.05).However,patients with lymphoma,infec-tious mononucleosis,upper respiratory tract infection,autoimmune disease or abnormal liver function,the positive rates and the concentration of EBV DNA in the plasma were dramatically lower than those in the peripheral blood lymphocytes,and the difference was statistically significant(χ2=4.17~15.06,all P<0.05;t=3.94~10.45,all P<0.01).Conclusion The detection of EB DNA in peripheral blood lymphocytes of non NPC patients by FQ-PCR might be better than that in plasma. There was no statistical difference between the detection of EBV DNA in lymphocytes and plasma of patients with nasopha-ryngeal carcinoma.Appropriate specimen type could be selected according to clinical consideration.