In this study, we have sequenced the C-terminal part of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-BNLF-1 gene encoding for the latent membrane protein-1 from tissues of EBV-positive Danish Hodgkin's disease (HD) and of Danish and Malaysian peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTLs) and from tonsils of Danish infectious mononucleosis (IM). Our study showed that some of the 7 single-base mutations and the 30-bp deletion previously detected between codons of amino acid 322 and 366 in the BNLF-1 gene of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CAO were present in all Malaysian PTLs and in 60% of the Danish PTLs. In HD and the IM cases, the mutations were present in about 30%. The 30-bp deletion and the single base mutations occurred independently, and mutations were detectable in the majority of EBV type B-positive cases. These findings suggest that the 30-bp deletion and the 7 single-base mutations in the C-terminal part of the CAO-BNLF-1 gene do not characterize a new EBV type A substrain. Rather, some of the positions of single base mutations and the 30-bp deletion are hot spots that may have mutated independently through the evolution of EBV strains.
The stress process and events of later life are more irreversible and chronic as compared with those of young adulthood Coping is defined as "things that people do to avoid being harmed by life-strains". This study looks at the coping status of non-institutionalised ill elderly in Holbaek, Denmark. A structured questionnaire was carried out on 500 elderly, aged 70 years and above. Coping status was found to be associated with income, social network, functional capacity and communications ability. The poor copers used more home help and home nursing services. Effective informal social network and functional capacity were found to be important determinants of coping status. The study recommends that besides strengthening the informal social networks of the elderly, they should also be given coping focussed counselling.