Open AccessPCR amplification is more sensitive than tissue culture methods for Epstein-Barr virus detection in clinical material.
Author(s) -
Tanzina Haque,
D. H. Crawford
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of general virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.55
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1465-2099
pISSN - 0022-1317
DOI - 10.1099/0022-1317-78-12-3357
Subject(s) - throat , biology , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , virus , virology , peripheral blood , epstein–barr virus , population , polymerase chain reaction , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , gene , in vitro , biochemistry , environmental health , anatomy
In this study we have compared the use of PCR and conventional tissue culture methods to detect Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and throat wash samples. The study population included 29 healthy adult and 20 immunocompromised EBV-seropositive donors. The results show significantly higher EBV detection rates by PCR than the tissue culture methods in throat wash samples from both donor groups (P < 0.01 in healthy donors and P < 0.009 in the immunocompromised donors) and in peripheral blood from the immunocompromised but not from the healthy donors (P < 0.008). Furthermore, when EBV DNA detection rates in throat wash cell pellet and supernatant fluid were compared, a higher positive result was obtained with the cell pellets which reached statistical significance in the immunocompromised group (P < 0.02). No correlation was found between positivity in throat wash and peripheral blood from the same donors.