Mayo Test Catalog, (Sorted By Test Name) - Mayo Medical ...

80786
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
antigen. The presence of antibody to the early antigen (EA) of EBV indicates that Epstein-Barr virus
(EBV) is actively replicating. Generally, this antibody can only be detected during active EBV infection,
such as in patients with IM. Clinical studies have indicated that patients who have chronic active or
reactivated EBV infection commonly have elevated levels (> or =1:40) of IgG class antibodies to the EA
of EBV. IgG antibody specific for the of EBV is often found in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma
(NPC). Of patients with type 2 or 3 NPC, 94% and 83%, respectively, have positive antibody responses to
EA Only 35% of patients with type 1 carcinomas have a positive response. The specificity of the test is
such that 82% to 91% of healthy blood donor controls and patients who do not have NPC have negative
responses. Although this level of specificity is useful for diagnositc purposes, a 9% to 18% frequency of
false-positive results implies that this procedure is not useful for screening.
Reference Values: