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METHODS Table 1: EBV infection type

Infection Anti‑EBV‑CA Anti‑EBV‑ Anti‑EBNA
Participants type IgG IgM EA IgG IgG antibody
A total of 20 patients with MS, of which 6 males and antibody antibody antibody
14 females were examined at Beijing Friendship Hospital Acute Low antibody Positive - Negative
from 2002 to 2010 and were enrolled in this study. MS infection affinity
[9]
was defined using the 2010 McDonald criteria for MS. Chronic High antibody - Positive Negative
affinity
infection
Among the patients, 14 had relapsing remitting MS, 2 had Primary Negative - Positive Negative
progressive remitting MS, 3 had primary progressive infection
MS, and 1 had secondary progressive MS. None of Recurrence High antibody - Positive Positive
after infection affinity
the patients had been treated with corticosteroids or Past infection High antibody - Negative Positive
immunosuppressive agents 2 months before hospital affinity
admittance. Demographic data were collected from the EBV: Epstein-Barr virus, CA: Capsid antigen, EA: Early antigen, IgG: Immunoglobulin G,
IgM: Immunoglobulin M, EBNA: Epstein–Barr nuclear antigen
patients by retrospective review of their medical records.
Statistical analysis
Twenty further patients were recruited with other SPSS for Windows version 15.0 (SPSS Inc., Armonk, NY,
neurological diseases (OND), including 9 with USA) was used for statistical analysis. The difference
2
peripheral neuropathy, 4 with Parkinson’s disease, 2 with between two means was tested by χ and Fisher’s exact
headache, 2 with neurosis, 2 with motor neuron disease probability test. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically
and 1 with cerebellar ataxia. Any OND patients with significant.
immunological diseases were excluded. There was no
statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) in age and RESULTS
gender composition of the MS and OND patients.
Detection of CSF EBV related antibody in MS/OND patients
This study was approved by the Capital Medical Figure 1 shows the positive/negative reactions of
University Affiliated Beijing Friendship Hospital Ethics the antibodies of anti-EBNA IgG, anti-EBV-CA IgG,
Committee. Written informed consents were obtained anti-EBV-CA IgM, and anti-EBV-EA IgG. The anti-
from individuals who participated in this study. EBV-CA IgG antibody affinity is indicated in Figure 2.
There was no significant difference between MS and
Anti‑EBV antibody assay OND patients whose CSF had antibodies of anti-EBNA
The presence of anti-EBV antibodies, including IgG, anti-EBV-EA IgG or anti-EBV-CA IgG (P > 0.05).
anti-EBV-CA immunoglobulin G (IgG), anti-EBV-CA However, there was a statistical difference between MS
IgG affinity, anti-EBV-CA immunoglobulin M (IgM), and OND patients whose CSF displayed high/low anti-
anti-EBV early antigen (EBV-EA) IgG and anti-EBNA IgG, EBV-CA IgG antibody affinity or positive anti-EBV-CA
were assayed as described previously. Green florescence IgM antibody (P < 0.05) [Table 2].
indicated that CSF had related antigen-antibody (positive
reaction). Anti-EBV-CA IgG antibody affinity was assayed Composition of EBV infection type in MS and OND patients
according to the green florescence intensity of urea-treated The MS group had 15 patients who suffered from
CSF parallel with physiological saline-treated CSF. [10] EBV acute infection, while the OND group had only
The intensity of florescence was depicted as follows: 0 5 patients. This difference between the groups was
referred to no florescence, 1 to very weak florescence, 2 to statistically significant. One patient in the MS group
weak florescence, 3 to moderate florescence, 4 to strong had a recurrence after an EBV infection, while this was
florescence and 5 to very intense florescence. High not detected in anyone in the OND group. EBV past
antibody affinity indicated that the rate difference between infection existed in 4 MS and 12 OND patients, which
urea-treated CSF florescence intensity and physiological was statistically different (P < 0.05). We failed to find
saline-treated CSF florescence intensity was lower than an EBV chronic or primary infection in either MS or
two grades, while low antibody affinity was equal or OND group.
higher than two grades. Antibody affinity is unable to
be assayed when florescence intensity of physiological DISCUSSION
saline-treated CSF is lower than two grades.
EBV is a ubiquitous human DNA herpes virus.
The different EBV infection subtypes are shown in More than 90% of the world’s population has been
Table 1. [11] infected with EBV. EBV infection is closely related to

Neuroimmunol Neuroinflammation | Volume 1 | Issue 1 | June 2014 25