Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is regarded as one of the most prominent human viruses worldwide, infecting more than 90% of adults globally. The virus is associated with numerous lymphatic disorders, malignancies, and autoimmune diseases.The aim of the study is to determine the seroprevalence of EBV among apparently healthy blood donors in Thi Qar Governorate, Iraq, by detecting specific anti-EBV IgM and IgG antibodies. It also investigated the relationship between seropositivity and certain demographic variables.A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 230 blood donors who visited the main blood bank in Thi Qar Governorate. Venous blood samples were collected from all blood donors, and the serum was separated and stored at -20°C until analysis. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was conducted for the detection of anti-EBV IgM and anti-EBV IgG antibodies using a commercial diagnostic kit manufactured by Sun Long Biotech Co., Ltd. (China). Statistical analysis was performed to examine the relationship among serological results and various demographic variables.The results showed 67.8% of participants were anti-EBV positive and 88.69% were anti-EBV IgG positive. Most demographic variables did not show statistically significant differences with viral positivity, with the exception of smoking, which showed a significant association with IgM positivity (P = 0.008). The results also showed a highly statistically significant relationship between IgM positivity and IgG positivity (P < 0.001). The study concludes that EBV is widespread among blood donors in Thi Qar Governorate. The high IgG positivity rate reflects common prior exposure to the virus, while the high IgM level may indicate viral reactivation in a proportion of seemingly healthy individuals. These findings affirm the importance of further serological and molecular studies to assess the risk of viral transmission via blood transfusion, particularly in immunocompromised patients.
Source: University of Thi-Qar Journal
Authors: Saja Shaker, Ahmed Hasan Mohammed
Institution: Thi Qar University
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7223181128