A serological study of immunoglobulin G type antibody to epstein-barr virus capsid antigen in children living in Manisa area of Western Anatolia, Turkey

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2001

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Abstract

Objective: To search the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) prevalence and the dispersion over ages. Design: To study the rate of infection by Epstein Barr virus (EBV) in Manisa area Western Anatolia, Turkey, the prevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) type of antibody to the Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen (VCA) was determined. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were taken from 90 healthy children without having history of infectious mononucleosis aged 12 months to 16 years living in Manisa area of Western Anatolia, Turkey. All sera were tested for IgG antibody to the Epstein-Barr VCA by a commercially available microwell enzyme immunoassay (EIA) method (Gull Laboratories, Salt Lake City, Utah). Results: IgG antibodies against Epstein-Barr VCA were found in 66 subjects (73.34%). When grouped by age, 71% of the children had been already infected by the age four. However, by age sixteen, 90.9% of the total sample had already specific IgG type antibodies to EBV. Conclusion: These results indicate that infections with EBV have a rather early and widespread occurrence in Manisa area of Western Anatolia, Turkey.

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