Epidemiological characteristics of Epstein–Barr virus infection

Abstract

Introduction. The Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is one of the most common pathogens — it infects 90% of the world’s population. However, specific characteristics of the EBV infection epidemic process remain unidentified. The previous studies focusing on assessment of incidence rates for infectious mononucleosis (IM) tend to ignore the serological status of the population.The aim of the study was to identify epidemiological characteristics and assess the prevalence of serological markers for EBV infection for further epidemic control measures development.Materials and methods. In Moscow, the thorough analysis was performed using the data on IM incidence (Form 2 "Data on Infectious and Parasitic Diseases") and test results for 138,232 people checked for presence of VCA IgG, EBNA IgG, VCA IgM, EA IgG, and EBV DNA in their blood and saliva in 2011–2020.Results. The periodic pattern of IM incidence was discovered, demonstrating the repetitive peaks every 9 to 11 years and a strong direct correlative relationship with detection rates for active EBV infection markers. The intra-annual dynamics of IM incidence is characterized by a seasonal upswing during cold seasons of the year, reaching its peaks in October, November, or February and associated with a marked decrease in the VCA IgG and EBNA IgG seroprevalence. Children within the 1 to 17-year age range are groups at risk for acquiring primary infection, demonstrating significantly lower detection rates for chronic EBV infection (VCA IgG and EBNA IgG) markers and higher rates for VCA IgM and EBV DNA markers in blood compared to adults. The contribution of adult population to the epidemic process is formed through reactivation of chronic infection, which is observed primarily among women.Conclusion. The identified characteristics are essential for comprehensive understanding of the EBV infection epidemic process and can be used for developing preventive and anti-epidemic measures.