HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Permissions Request Permissions Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Thijsen, S. F. T. Articles by Bossink, A. W. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Thijsen, S. F. T. Articles by Bossink, A. W. J.

A possible role for Epstein-Barr virus in the pathogenesis of pleural effusion

¹ Dept of Microbiology, ² Unit Molecular Diagnostics, ³ Dept of Pathology and ⁴ Dept of Pulmonology and Heart Lung Center Utrecht, Diakonessenhuis Utrecht, The Netherlands.

CORRESPONDENCE: S. F. T. Thijsen, Diakonessenhuis, Dept of Microbiology, Bosboomstraat 1, 3582 KE Utrecht, The Netherlands. Fax: 31 302566695. E-mail: sthijsen{at}diakhuis.nl

Keywords: Epstein-Barr virus, pleural effusion

Received: November 15, 2004
Accepted May 22, 2005

A high percentage of pleural effusions remain unexplained despite an intensive diagnostic workup. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections occur worldwide and affect the majority of the population. The present study investigated the prevalence and clinical relevance of EBV in pleural effusions.

A prospective study was performed in which 60 consecutive patients with pleural effusion were enrolled. Real-time quantitative EBV-PCR was performed on pleural fluid and serum. Pleural fluid was further evaluated using standard biochemical, cytological and microbiological procedures. Demographic data, medical history and medication were recorded.

A total of 24 (40%), from 60 pleural fluids tested, were positive in the EBV-PCR. Median EBV-DNA levels for positive samples was 454 genome equivalents (geq)·mL^–1 (range 36–163,446 geq·mL^–1). A total of 20 (59%) out of 34 unexplained pleural effusions were EBV-PCR positive. Serological analysis of all patients with a positive PCR revealed a previous infection. Patients with a positive EBV-PCR on pleural fluid were more likely to have a positive EBV-PCR on serum than patients with a negative PCR on pleural fluid.

Epstein-Barr virus reactivation in pleural fluid is a frequent event and the absence of an alternative diagnosis to explain the nature of the effusion in the majority of cases suggests an aetiological role for Epstein-Barr virus in the development of pleural effusion.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. W. J. Bossink, M. Deege, and S. F. T. Thijsen A possible role for Epstein-Barr virus infection in COPD? Eur. Respir. J., November 1, 2008; 32(5): 1411 - 1412. [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Hussain, N. Nasreen, Y. Lai, B. F. Bellew, V. B. Antony, and K. A. Mohammed Innate immune responses in murine pleural mesothelial cells: Toll-like receptor-2 dependent induction of {beta}-defensin-2 by staphylococcal peptidoglycan Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, September 1, 2008; 295(3): L461 - L470. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Berjaoui, N. Dean, and N. Dahle Proteinuria, pancytopenia and hypoxaemic respiratory failure in a 28-year-old female. Eur. Respir. J., August 1, 2006; 28(2): 452 - 455. [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Martro and V. Ausina The role of Epstein-Barr virus in pleural effusions of unknown aetiology: an interesting clinical perspective Eur. Respir. J., October 1, 2005; 26(4): 566 - 568. [Full Text] [PDF]