Epstein‐Barr Virus Infection and Serological Profile in Greenland Eskimo Children

• Published in: Acta Paediatrica
• Main Authors: ALBECK, H., BILLE, T., FENGER, H. J., NARVESTAD, U., SØRENSEN, G. S., HENLE, G., HENLE, W., NIELSEN, N. HØJGAARD, HANSEN, J. P. HART
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1985
• Subjects: General Medicine; Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health; Greenland; eskimo*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.1985.tb10015.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1651-2227.1985.tb10015.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1651-2227.1985.tb10015.x

ABSTRACT. The Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐specific antibody profile of 101 Greenland Eskimo children was determined. The proportion of children with serological evidence of recent or past primary EBV infections rose from 22 % at 6 months of age to 79 % at 24 months of age. All but 2 of 49 children more than 4 years of age proved seropositive. The geometric mean titre (GMT) of antibodies to the viral capsid antigen (VCA) was highest during the first 3 years of life and declined sharply to a lower, nearly constant level in older children. The GMT of antibodies to the nuclear antigen (EBNA), rose slowly during the first 4 years of life to its persistent level. None of the children had a history of illnesses comparable to infectious mononucleosis. The results have shown that in this population with an enhanced risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, primary EBV infection occurs at a very early age.