Prevalence of human papillomavirus and Epstein–Barr virus DNA in Chinese children with tonsillar and/or adenoidal hypertrophy

Abstract

Tonsillar and adenoidal hypertrophy are prevalent otolaryngologic disorders in children, but their pathogenesis is largely unknown. The presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in 146 tonsil and/or adenoid tissue specimens from 104 Chinese children with tonsillar and/or adenoidal hypertrophy were screened using flow-through hybridization gene-chip technology and real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR. Then, the relationships between the prevalence of the viruses and other clinical characteristics of tonsillar and/or adenoidal hypertrophy were analyzed. No patient had HPV DNA. EBV DNA was detected in 19/42 (45.2%) tonsil tissues and 72/104 (69.2%) adenoid tissue specimens (P < 0.05). EBV DNA was not related to the patients' age, gender, disease course, or nationality, but children positive for EBV were less likely to snore; 14/15 (93.3%) patients who did not snore and 59/89 (66.3%) patients who snored were EBV positive. EBV DNA, but not HPV DNA was detected in Chinese children with tonsillar and/or adenoidal hypertrophy. Adenoid tissues might more susceptible than tonsil tissues to EBV infection. In addition, EBV infection did not aggravate snoring in patients with tonsillar and/or adenoidal hypertrophy.

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

“…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 ). The higher prevalence in tonsils of adults compared with children agreed with other studies evaluating tonsillar specimens .…”

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

“…First, we did not evaluate the status of EBV infection in the adenoids and tonsils of healthy control subjects. Although some authors have suggested that EBV could be involved in recurrent tonsillitis and adenotonsillar hyperplasia, this has not been confirmed by subsequent studies. In our study, the prevalence of EBV DNA was high in the adenoids of the adults with chronic tonsillitis and focal tonsils, but their adenoids did not have recurrent inflammation or hyperplasia.…”

Detection of the Epstein–Barr virus, Human Bocavirus and novel KI and KU polyomaviruses in adenotonsillar tissues

“…However, many viruses are detected in tonsillar and adenoid tissues recently [1]. Despite these findings, systematic studies of viruses in adenoids and tonsils have been rare, especially in recurrent and/or hypertrophic adenotonsillar diseases.…”

“…Recurrent and chronic diseases of tonsils and adenoids are highly frequent in children and lead to chronic activation of the immune response, resulting in hypertrophy of the adenoidal and tonsillar lymphoid tissues [1]. These reactions can adversely affect a child, especially when there is hypertrophy and/or recurrent infection.…”

“…Generally, bacteria are considered to be the most likely causative agents in adenotonsillar diseases [6,1].…”