Concordance of adenosine deaminase with immunoglobulins and lymphocyte subsets in EBV-related diseases

BACKGROUND: Clinical manifestations of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection are diverse. This study aimed to explore the immune response in EBV-related diseases and the correlation between immune cells and adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels. METHODS: This study was conducted at the Children’s Hospital of Soochow University. In total, 104 patients with EBV-associated respiratory tract infection (EBV-RTI), 32 patients with atypical EBV infection, 54 patients with EBV-associated infectious mononucleosis (IM1, with normal alanine aminotransferase [ALT] levels), 50 patients with EBV-IM2 (with elevated ALT levels), 50 patients with acute respiratory infection (AURI, with other pathogens), and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Indicators of ADA, immunoglobulins (Igs), and lymphocyte subsets were analyzed for EBV-related diseases. RESULTS: Differences in the white blood cell, lymphocyte counts, ADA levels, IgA, IgG and IgM titers, percentage of CD3(+), CD3(+)CD4(+), CD3(+)CD8(+), CD16(+)CD56(+), CD3(−)CD19(+), and CD19(+)CD23(+) lymphocytes, and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio between EBV-related disease groups were all statistically significant (P < 0.01). ADA levels in the EBV-related disease groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01). The lymphocyte count, ADA levels, IgA and IgG titers, and percentage of CD3(+) and CD3(+)CD8 + lymphocytes in the atypical EBV infection, EBV-IM1, and EBV-IM2 groups were significantly higher than those in the EBV-RTI, AUTI, and control groups (P < 0.01), whereas the percentage of CD3(+)CD4(+), CD3(−)CD19(+), and CD19(+)CD23(+) lymphocytes and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio showed the opposite trend. ADA levels were consistent with and closely related to the viral load and cellular and humoral immunity in EBV-related diseases. CONCLUSIONS: ADA levels, humoral immunity, and cellular immunity were diverse in EBV-related diseases, and ADA was closely related to Igs and lymphocyte subsets.