Epstein-Barr virus DNA quantitation assessed by a real-time polymerase chain reaction in a case of Burkitt's lymphoma

A real-time PCR technique was used to quantify EBV DNA load in plasma, leuk ocytes, peritoneal cells, ascites and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at diagnosi s and during the follow-up of a 21-year-old patient suffering from an abdom inal form of EBV-associated Burkitt's lymphoma. The EBV DNA load correlated well with the clinical and biological remission status of the patient afte r chemotherapy confirming that EBV DNA quantitation in plasma and leukocyte s from peripheral blood can be considered as a marker of the tumor load and can be analyzed in parallel for monitoring of EBV-related malignancies.