Clearance of circulating Epstein-Barr virus DNA in children with acute malaria after antimalaria treatment.

Abstract

Children living in malaria-endemic regions have a high incidence of Burkitt lymphoma (BL), the etiology of which involves Plasmodium falciparum malaria and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections. In the present study, we compared EBV DNA loads in plasma and saliva samples from Ugandan children with acute malaria (M+) at the time of diagnosis and 14 days after antimalaria treatment, children without malaria (M-), and children with BL. EBV DNA was detected, by real-time polymerase chain reaction, in 31% of the plasma and in 79% of the saliva samples from children in the M+ group. Antimalaria treatment led to clearance of plasma viral load in 85% of the cases but did not affect the levels in saliva. There was a significant difference in plasma EBV loads across the groups. The lowest levels were detected in samples from the M- group, increased levels were detected in samples from the M+ group, and levels reached the highest values in samples from children with BL. The same trend was evident in the frequency and levels of anti-BZLF1 antibodies, which is indicative of viral reactivation. In the M+ group, the positive plasma samples clustered around 7-9 years of age, the peak incidence of BL. The clearance of circulating EBV after antimalaria treatment suggests a direct relationship between active malaria infection and viral reactivation.

• Authors: Daria Donati, Eva Espmark, Fred Kironde, Edward Katongole Mbidde, Moses Kamya, Ake Lundkvist, Mats Wahlgren, Maria Teresa Bejarano, Kerstin I Falk
• Journal: The Journal of infectious diseases (J Infect Dis) Vol. 193 Issue 7 Pg. 971-7 (Apr 01 2006) ISSN: 0022-1899 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16518759 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Viral
• Antimalarials
• BZLF1 protein, Herpesvirus 4, Human
• DNA, Viral
• DNA-Binding Proteins
• Trans-Activators
• Viral Proteins

Topics

• Adolescent
• Aging
• Antibodies, Viral (blood)
• Antimalarials (therapeutic use)
• Burkitt Lymphoma (virology)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• DNA, Viral (analysis)
• DNA-Binding Proteins (immunology)
• Epstein-Barr Virus Infections (virology)
• Herpesvirus 4, Human (drug effects, genetics, isolation & purification, physiology)
• Humans
• Malaria, Falciparum (complications, drug therapy, virology)
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Saliva (virology)
• Trans-Activators (immunology)
• Uganda
• Viral Load
• Viral Proteins (immunology)