Determination of Epstein-Barr Virus–Infected Lymphocyte Cell Types in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells as a Valuable Diagnostic Tool in Hematological Diseases. (4th April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Peiling; Zeng, Chen; Cheng, Jiali; Zhou, Jing; Gu, Jia; Mao, Xia; Zhang, Wei; Cao, Yang; Luo, Hui; Xu, Bin; Li, Qinlu; Xiao, Min; Zhou, Jianfeng
• Is Part Of: Open forum infectious diseases. Volume 6:Number 5(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-04-04
• Subjects: chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection -- Epstein-Barr virus -- hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis -- lymphoproliferative disorders; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Medical microbiology -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz171
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2328-8957

Abstract

Abstract: Background: High loads of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can be indicative of a broad spectrum of diseases, ranging from asymptomatic infection to fatal cancers. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the EBV-infected cell types in PBMCs among 291 patients. Based on EBV-infected cell types, the clinical features and prognoses of 93 patients with EBV-associated (EBV + ) T/natural killer (NK)–cell lymphoproliferative diseases (LPDs) T/NK-LPDs) were investigated over a 5-year period. Results: Although B-cell-type infection was found in immunocompromised patients and patients with asymptomatic high EBV carriage, infectious mononucleosis, EBV + B-cell LPDs and B-cell lymphomas, T-cell, NK-cell or multiple-cell-type infection in immunocompetent hosts were highly suggestive of EBV + T/NK-LPDs, EBV + T/NK-cell lymphomas, and aggressive NK-cell leukemia. Patients with non–B-cell infection had a poorer prognosis than those with B-cell-type infection. In our cohort, 79.6% of patients with EBV + T/NK-LPDs were >18 years old, and NK cells were identified as EBV-infected cell type in 54.8%. Nearly half of patients with EBV + T/NK-LPDs had genetic defects associated with immunodeficiency. However, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, and not genetic defects, was the only parameter correlated with poor prognosis of EBV + T/NK-LPDs. Conclusions: Determination of EBV-infected cell types among PBMCs is a valuable tool for the differential diagnosis of EBV + hematological diseases. In this study, determination of Epstein-Barr virus-infected cell types in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 291 patients with high Epstein-Barr virus loads were retrospectively investigated, which indicate it is a valuable tool for Epstein-Barr virus-associated hematological diseases.