Evaluation of EBV infections in children with renal transplantation.

95% of the world population had faced the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) until their adulthood stage. EBV, which leads to latent infections, is held responsible for infectious mononucleosis (EM), lymphomas and post transplant lymphoproliferative diseases (PTLD) etiology. Determining EBV DNA viral load in children, who applied to Istanbul University Medical Faculty Pediatrics Nephrology polyclinic and kidney transplant, evaluating along with serologic experiments is aimed in our survey. In 22 children between 0-18 years of age who had kidney transplants, the presence of antibodies against the IgA and IgG VCA gp125, VCA p19, EBNA-1, p22 and EA-D antigens in the immunoblot kit were examined and the EBV DNA quantitative viral load was quantitatively analyzed by Real Time Polimerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) method. When the immune profile results of the patients were evaluated, 8 patients had acute infection, 12 patients had previous infections, 1 patient had reactivation and 1 patient had negative serological results. When EBV DNA quantitative viral load results were evaluated, in 12 out of 22 patients positivity is detected, 12 patients are found as negative. 8 (57,14%) of male patients; 4 (50%) of female patients are detected as positive. Therefore; determination of acute infection and reactivation is significant with regards of transplantation patients. Due to inadequate serology in immunocompromised patients, it is important to evaluate together with PCR tests and to evaluate the serological profile after transplantation together with serology. Key Words: EBV, Immunoblot, RT-PCR, Renal Transplantation, Pediatrics The present work was supported by the Research Fund of Istanbul University. Project No. 30387