Multiple Epstein-Barr virus strains in patients with infectious mononucleosis: comparison of ex vivo samples with in vitro isolates by use of heteroduplex tracking assays

J Infect Dis. 2006 Jan 15;193(2):287-97. doi: 10.1086/498913. Epub 2005 Dec 14.

Abstract

Recent work using a heteroduplex tracking assay (HTA) to identify resident viral sequences has suggested that patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM) who are undergoing primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection frequently harbor different EBV strains. Here, we examine samples from patients with IM by use of a new Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 2 HTA alongside the established latent membrane protein 1 HTA. Coresident allelic sequences were detected in ex vivo blood and throat wash samples from 13 of 14 patients with IM; most patients carried 2 or more type 1 strains, 1 patient carried 2 type 2 strains, and 1 patient carried both virus types. In contrast, coresident strains were detected in only 2 of 14 patients by in vitro B cell transformation, despite screening >20 isolates/patient. We infer that coacquisition of multiple strains is common in patients with IM, although only 1 strain tends to be rescued in vitro; whether nonrescued strains are present in low abundance or are transformation defective remains to be determined.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Blood / virology
  • DNA, Viral / genetics*
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / classification*
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / genetics*
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Infectious Mononucleosis / virology*
  • Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes
  • Nucleic Acid Hybridization / methods*
  • Pharynx / virology
  • Viral Matrix Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • DNA, Viral
  • EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens
  • Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes
  • Viral Matrix Proteins