Detection of the Predominant Strain of Epstein-Barr Virus in Systemic Autoimmune and Thalassemia Patients

EBV, is a member of the herpesvirus family and one of the most common human viruses, Epidemiological data suggest that EBV is associated with polytransfused blood βthalassemia and several autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. We examined the presence of IgM antibodies against EBV in serum of 35 Thalassemic patients, 75 autoimmune patients among as 35 rheumatoid arthritis patients, 20 Systemic lupus erythrematosus and 20 autoimmune hypothyroid diseases, and 20 healthy controls by ELISA assay then detected the predominant strain in positive samples. The results show that the highest EBV infection percent was in SLE 15% whilst the lowest infection percent was in Thalassemia 5.7%., and according to gender, the results showed that the highest infection percentage recorded in females with rheumatoid arthritis 30 %, whilst the infection does not appear in males with rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune thyroid disease and females of thalassemia patients. On the other hand, this study reveals that EBV-1 is the predominant strain in autoimmune diseases and thalassemia in Iraq.