Detection of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in peripheral blood of paediatric patients with Hodgkin's disease by real-time polymerase chain reaction

Hodgkin's disease (HD) is commonly associated with latent Epstein-Barr viru s (EBV) infection. The aim of our study was a detailed molecular analysis o f the EBV status in the peripheral blood of paediatric patients with HD. Bl ood samples from HD patients were examined before (n=28) and after treatmen t (n=12). The control group consisted of 20 healthy children and 10 immunos uppressed children with primary EBV infection. EBV load in plasma and perip heral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were determined by real time quantitat ive polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR) as recently described. Before treatm ent, EBV DNA was detected in the plasma of 13/24 EBV-seropositive HD patien ts, whereas in plasma of healthy controls no EBV DNA was detectable (P <0.0 01). After treatment, no EBV genomes were found in the plasma of 6 HD patie nts in stable and complete remission. In contrast, 2/5 HD patients with rel apse of disease were positive for EBV DNA in the plasma. In PBMCs, no diffe rences were found in EBV load measured in HD patients before or after treat ment and healthy controls. A high EBV load was found in both the plasma and PBMCs of all immunosuppressed patients with primary EBV infection. Thus, E BV DNA detection in the plasma of paediatric HD patients might be of value for non-invasive diagnostic, prognostic and follow-up tests for HD. (C) 200 1 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.