Sorted By Test Name - Mayo Medical Laboratories

EBEA
8890
clinical disorders due to EBV infection, infectious mononucleosis is the most common. Other disorders
due to EBV infection have been recognized for several years, including African-type Burkitt's lymphoma
and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. EBV infection may also cause lymphoproliferative syndromes, especially
in patients who have undergone renal or bone marrow transplantation and in those who have AIDS.
Useful For: Diagnosing infectious mononucleosis These tests are recommended only when a
mononucleosis screening procedure is negative and infectious mononucleosis or a complication of
Epstein-Barr virus infection is suspected.
Interpretation: The test has 3 components: viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgG, VCA IgM, and EBV
nuclear antigen (EBNA). Presence of VCA IgM antibodies indicates recent primary infection with
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The presence of VCA IgG antibodies indicates infection sometime in the past.
Antibodies to EBNA develop 6 to 8 weeks after primary infection and are detectable for life. Over 90% of
the normal adult population have IgG class antibodies to VCA and EBNA. Few patients who have been
infected with EBV will fail to develop antibodies to the EBNA (approximately 5%-10%). Possible
Results VCA IgG VCA IgM EBNA IgG Interpretation - - - No previous exposure + + - Recent infection +
- + Past infection + - - Recent infection* + + + Past infection *Results indicate infection with EBV at
some time (VCA IgG positive). However, the time of the infection cannot be predicted, (ie, recent or past)
since antibodies to EBNA usually develop after primary infection (recent) or, alternatively, approximately
5% to 10% of patients with EBV never develop antibodies to EBNA (past).
Reference Values:
EBV VIRAL CAPSID ANTIGEN (VCA) IgM ANTIBODY
Negative
EBV VIRAL CAPSID ANTIGEN (VCA) IgG ANTIBODY
Negative
EPSTEIN-BARR NUCLEAR ANTIGEN (EBNA) ANTIBODIES
Negative
Clinical References: 1. Fields' Virology. 5th edition. Edited by DM Knipe, PM Howley, DE Griffin,
et al. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007 2. Linde A, Falk KI: Epstein-Barr virus. In
Manual of Clinical Microbiology. 9th edition. Edited by EJ Barron, JH Jorgensen, ML Landry, et al. ASM
Press, 2007, pp 1564-1573
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) IgG Antibody to Early Antigen, Serum
Clinical Information: Infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) usually occurs early in life. For
several weeks to months after acute onset of the infection, it is spread by upper respiratory secretions that
contain the virus. Among the clinical disorders due to EBV infections, infectious mononucleosis is most
common. Other disorders due to EBV infection have been recognized for several years, including
African-type Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The World Health Organization
classifies NPC as type 1 (keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma), type 2 (nonkeratinizing squamous cell
carcinoma), and type 3 (undifferentiated carcinoma). EBV infection also may cause lymphoproliferative
syndromes, especially in patients who have undergone renal or bone marrow transplantation and in those
who have AIDS. A chronic mononucleosis-like syndrome has been described in which individuals
experience persistent or relapsing episodes of fatigue, depression, dyslogia, sometimes with low-grade
fever, adenopathy and weight loss. Actively replicating EBV may be responsible for the persisting illness
and fatigue associated with this viral infection.
Useful For: Investigation of infectious mononucleosis As an aid in the diagnosis of African-type
Burkitt's lymphoma As an aid in the evaluation of patients with malignant lesions of type 2 and 3 in
whom is suspected; for example, patients with metastases to the cervical lymph nodes from an unknown
primary source
Interpretation: Normal titers are 1:40 to this
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