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Immunology

What is EBV ?
EBV (Epstein-Barr-Virus) is an ubiquitous human herpesvirus that is transmitted in saliva.  EBV infects human cells with great efficiency and persists life-long in infected individuals.  The virus is associated with different severe diseases:


Cancer:
EBV is suggested to be an important co-factor for the development of nasopharyngeal cancer, Hodgkin's disease, Burkitt lymphoma, T cell lymphoma, some types of gastric cancer and smooth-muscle tumors.  The virus is also consistently associated with post-transplant lymphoma (PTLD).  Due to this association, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies EBV as a 'class I carcinogen'.



Infectious Mononucleosis (IM):
A lymphoproliferative disorder that occurs in adolescents and adults upon primary infection with EBV. Although usually self-limiting, IM sporadically becomes chronic.  Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) is a rare but severe disease with high morbidity and mortality.  CAEBV is characterised by IM-like symptoms, such as fever, hepatosplenomegaly, hepatitis and lymphadenopathy.



Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS):
CFS is a condition of prolonged debilitating fatigue and tiredness that significantly decreases the patient's ability to participate in ordinary activities.  The hallmark symptoms of CFS are overwhelming fatigue and weakness that make it extremely difficult to perform routine and daily tasks, like getting out of bed, dressing, and eating.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) describes CFS as a distinct disorder with specific symptoms and physical signs, based on ruling out other possible causes.  Estimates of prevalence vary from 0.2% to above 2% but the real number of persons with CFS is unknown.

The cause of CFS is not yet known but it is probably multifactorial. Researcher suggest that a virus causes CFS, and some suggest that this virus may be EBV since some patients have elevated titers of EBV-specific antibodies and high numbers of infectious EBV particles in their blood. CFS could be initiated by a viral infection that is complicated by an abnormal immune response in predisposed individuals.  Whereas EBV-specific antibodies can easy to measure, quantification of infectious EBV particles in the blood was difficult so far. This can now be done by means of a special indicator cell line.

A recent study reported the beneficial use of the anti-viral drug valacyclovir in CFS patients with persistent EBV infection (further reading).




Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA):
Numerous associatios have been documented between EBV and RA.  Many RA patients have increased values of antibodies against EBV proteins and many whow a serological evidence of reactivated EBV infection. Although the exact etiology of RA is currently unknown, EBV may be an important co-factor.




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The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.