METHODS: Eight hundred ninety-six residual serum samples at a tertiary hospital were tested for viral capsid antigen (IgG and IgM) and EBNA IgG antibodies using Abbott Architect assays. We calculated the EBV seroprevalence using catalytic models to estimate the EBV force of infection from age-stratified seroprevalence data, both overall and by ethnic group.
RESULTS: Overall seropositivity was 68.3% (n = 612). Seropositivity was higher in Malays (81.8%) compared with both Chinese (64.2%) and Indians (58.4%). EBV FOI was consistently higher in Malays, with an estimated annual rate of seroconversion of 25% in children 1 year, of age compared with 14% among Chinese and Indians at the same age.
CONCLUSIONS: The seroprevalence patterns of EBV antibodies in the Chinese and Indian, but not Malay children in Singapore by 19 years of age resemble those previously reported in developed countries. Ideally, any future EBV vaccination strategy would need to target infants <1 year of age for maximum population benefit.
METHODS: Using a panel of antibodies to CD10, Bcl-6, MUM1 and CD138, consecutive cases of primary UAT DLBCL were stratified into subgroups of germinal centre B-cell-like (GCB) and non-GCB, phenotype profile patterns A, B and C, as proposed by Hans et al. and Chang et al., respectively. EBER in situ hybridisation technique was applied for the detection of EBV in the tumours.
RESULTS: In this series of 32 cases of UAT DLBCL, 34% (11/32) were GCB, and 66% (21/32) were non-GCB types; 59% (19/32) had combined patterns A and B, and 41% (13/32) had pattern C. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in the occurrence of these prognostic subgroups in the UAT when compared with series of de novo DLBCL from all sites. There was also no site difference in phenotype protein expressions, with the exception of MUM1. EBER in situ hybridisation stain demonstrated only one EBV infected case.
CONCLUSIONS: Prognostic subgroup distribution of UAT DLBCL is similar to de novo DLBCL from all sites, and EBV association is very infrequent.