Molecular Identification of Epstein-Barr virus Gene among Pediatric Leukemic Patients at Radiation and Isotope Center - Khartoum

Abstract

This is a case of control study conducted in Radiation Isotope Centre-Khartoum during November 2008 - July 2009. The study aimed to investigate Epstein Barr Virus in leukemic children who were referred to the Radiation Isotope Centre Khartoum. Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) was investigated among 100 Children aged between 1 – 15 years (80 were leukemic patients and 20 were healthy children). The DNA was extracted from blood samples then Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) applied to investigate the EBV using LMP1 primer. In this study, from the 80 cases of patients suffering from leukaemia, EBV was identified among 29 (36.25%), 58.6% of the patients were males and 41.4% were females. Among EBV positive children, 22 (76%) were diagnosed as ALL, 5(17.2%) AML, 1 (3.4%) CLL and (3.4%) CML. The EBV was distributed according to the patient’s residency as follows; 13 EBV positive Children were from Khartoum, 5 were from the Centre of Sudan, 2 were from the West, 6 were from the East and 3 children were from the North of Sudan. In contrast, 20 EBV negative Children were from Khartoum, 20 were from the Centre of Sudan, 12 were from the West, and 7 were from the East, 11were from the North and 1 from the South of Sudan. Eventually, the existing scientific data continue to suggest that infection of EBV plays a critical role in the development of childhood leukaemias, perhaps in conjunction with other risk factors. The study recommended screening more patients who suffer from leukaemia using more advanced molecular techniques to confirm the role of the EBV in developing of leukaemia in Sudan.