Seroepidemiological study of Epstein-Barr virus infection in children in Taipei

SerumIgG antibody titer against viral capsid antigen(VCA) of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was measured by indirect immunofluorescence antibody method in 1350 children under 15 years of age, 723 males and 627 females, who were living in the Taipei area. Sera were collected from June through October 1984. Under the age of 6 months, the prevalence rate of positive serum VCA antibody was 38.4%. It decreased to 6.4% between 6 and 12 months of age, but rose to 65.8% during the second year of life. The rate continued to increase from 1 to 4 years of age, with a steep rise of geometric mean titer in the same period. The prevalence rate stayed at more than 90% after 4 years of age. From our data, it is obvious that most children in the Taipei area had been infected by EBV in early childhood, especially from 1 to 4 years of age.