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Updated: May 25, 2026
Establishment of Epstein-Barr Virus Growth-transformed Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines
Published on: November 8, 2011
Incidence of Epstein-Barr virus in pediatric leukemia in the Sudan
Hussain Gadelkarim Ahmed1, Shakir Idris Osman, Ibraheem M Ashankyty
1Department of Histopathology and Cytology, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan. Hussain@uofk.edu
Background:
Results of several studies have suggested a probable etiologic association between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and leukemias; therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association of EBV in childhood leukemia.
Methods:
A direct isothermal amplification method was developed for detection of the latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) of EBV in the peripheral blood of 80 patients with leukemia (54 had lymphoid leukemia and 26 had myeloid leukemia) and of 20 hematologically healthy control subjects.
Results:
EBV LMP1 gene transcripts were found in 29 (36.3%) of the 80 patients with leukemia but in none of the healthy controls (P < .0001). Of the 29 EBV(+) cases, 23 (79.3%), 5 (17.3%), and 1 (3.4%) were acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and chronic myeloid leukemia, respectively.
Conclusion:
EBV LMP1 gene transcriptional activity was observed in a significant proportion of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. EBV infection in patients with lymphoid leukemia may be a factor involved in the high incidence of pediatric leukemia in the Sudan.
