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High levels of Epstein–Barr virus in COPD

¹ Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Mater Hospital, ² Regional Virus Laboratory, Kelvin Building, Royal Victoria Hospital, ³ Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, and ⁴ Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Belfast City Hospital, Belfast, UK.

CORRESPONDENCE: T. E. McManus, Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Mater Hospital, Belfast BT14 6AB, UK, Fax: 44 2890634803. E-mail: TerryMcManus{at}doctors.org.uk

Keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Epstein–Barr virus, latent viral infection, pathogenesis, real-time PCR

Received: August 15, 2007
Accepted February 7, 2008

Latent viral infection has been implicated in the pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is known to be important in pulmonary fibrosis. The current authors hypothesised that EBV is associated with the pathogenesis of COPD.

Sputum samples were collected from patients both during exacerbations of COPD and when stable. A control group of smokers who did not have airways obstruction also had their sputum examined. The presence of EBV DNA was established and quantified using a real-time nucleic acid amplification assay.

A total of 136 patients with COPD were recruited during an acute exacerbation and a total of 68 when stable. EBV was detected in 65 (48%) exacerbation cases and 31 (46%) stable patients. In the comparison group of 16 nonobstructed smokers, EBV was demonstrated in only one (6%) case. Risk of COPD in patients with EBV and who are smokers confers an odds ratio of 12.6.

Epstein–Barr virus DNA is more frequently identified in the respiratory tract of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients in comparison with unaffected smokers. It is present both during exacerbation and when stable, suggesting that infection is persistent. Smokers who do not develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease rarely have Epstein–Barr virus in their sputum. This finding may be of importance in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.