EBV infection is prevalent in the adenoid and palatine tonsils in adults

Abstract

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with the pathogenesis of several diseases in both adults and children. However, there have been no reports on the prevalence and amount of EBV in the adenoids of adults; thus, it is important to investigate these in the adenoids and tonsils of adults and children. In this study, 67 patients who underwent tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy were included and divided into two groups: adults aged ≥ 16 years (n = 35) and children aged <16 years (n = 32). Patients' adenoid and tonsil tissues were analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction for EBV DNA. EBV was detected in 26 (74%) adenoids and 25 (71%) tonsils among the adult group and was detected 21 (66%) adenoids and 20 (63%) tonsils in the child group. There was no significant difference in EBV DNA prevalence between the adenoids and tonsils for each group. However, there was a significant correlation between EBV DNA load in the adenoids and tonsils of the same individual in both groups (r = 0.579, P < 0.01, adult group; r = 0.919, P < 0.01, child group). In conclusion, EBV infection is prevalent in the adenoids and tonsils in adults and children. These results indicate that EBV continuously reside in the nasopharyngeal region after primal infection and may develop several diseases.

Prevalence of human herpesviruses infections in nonmalignant tonsils: The SPLIT study

“…EBV prevalence among children in this study (40.6%) is in line with a reported prevalence of 43% to 50% in children in some, but not all other studies (29%‐80%; see Table ). The higher prevalence in tonsils of adults compared with children agreed with other studies evaluating tonsillar specimens . Seroepidemiologic studies are also compatible with the findings in the present study, with reported high seroprevalence (80%‐90%) in immunocompetent adults, and lower seroprevalence in children .…”

“…The higher prevalence in tonsils of adults compared with children agreed with other studies evaluating tonsillar specimens. 39,40 Seroepidemiologic studies are also compatible with the findings in the present study, with reported high seroprevalence (80%-90%) in immunocompetent adults, 14,43,44 and lower seroprevalence in children. 14,45 It has, however, to be noted that data on EBV prevalence in the general population are relatively rare, and a change in EBV epidemiology has been reported over the last decades in high-income countries with decreasing overall EBV prevalence and increasing age of primary infection.…”

“…Primary infection during childhood is usually asymptomatic though causing infectious mononucleosis when acquired in adolescents and adults. Here, an EBV DNA prevalence in tonsil brushings of 74.4% in adults is reported, consistent with the previously observed prevalence of 66% to 71% in adult's tonsil tissue . EBV prevalence among children in this study (40.6%) is in line with a reported prevalence of 43% to 50% in children in some, but not all other studies (29%‐80%; see Table ).…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest study to have evaluated the prevalence of all known HHVs in nonmalignant tonsils among immunocompetent children and adults. Globally 85% of the samples were infected with at least one HHV species, and speciesspecific prevalence was 0% for HHV6A, less than 3% for HSV1, 24,39,40 EBV prevalence among children in this study (40.6%) is in line with a reported prevalence of 43% to 50% in children in some, 24,[37][38][39] but not all other studies (29%-80%; see Table 1). The higher prevalence in tonsils of adults compared with children agreed with other studies evaluating tonsillar specimens.…”

Mapping of human papilloma virus, p16, and epstein‐barr virus in non‐malignant tonsillar disease

“…In previous studies EBV DNA was found in pediatric tonsils in 43–80% of cases and in adult tonsillar tissue in 71% of cases . All these studies used PCR to detect EBV DNA copies.…”