High Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA loads in HIV-infected patients: correlation with antiretroviral therapy and quantitative EBV serology.

Objective: To study Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA loads in peripheral blood of HIV carriers to determine base-line values and diagnostic relevance of viral load in relation to quantitative serology; to compare EBV presence in parallel plasma and unfractionated whole blood samples; and to correlate EBV DNA load to HIV, CD4 T-cell counts and HAART.

Design: One-hundred and nine random patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) during 1999 and 99 patients on anti-HIV monotherapy during 1993-1996 were included.

Methods: EBV DNA load was determined by quantitative competitive PCR.