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HelpTest ID EBVE Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), IgG Antibody to Early Antigen, Serum
Specimen Required
Collection Container/Tube:
Preferred: Serum gel
Acceptable: Red top
Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial
Specimen Volume: 1 mL
Collection Instructions: Centrifuge and aliquot serum into a plastic vial.
Forms
If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send Infectious Disease Serology Test Request (T916) with the specimen.
Useful For
A third-order test in the diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis, especially in situations when initial testing results (heterophile antibody test) are negative and follow-up testing (viral capsid antigen: VCA IgG, VCA IgM, and Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen) yields inconclusive results
Aiding in the diagnosis of type 2 or type 3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)
This test is not useful for screening patients for NPC.
Method Name
Multiplex Flow Immunoassay
Reporting Name
EBV EA IgG Ab, SSpecimen Type
SerumSpecimen Minimum Volume
0.4 mL
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Serum | Refrigerated (preferred) | 14 days |
| Frozen | 14 days |
Clinical Information
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a member of the herpesvirus group, is the etiologic agent of infectious mononucleosis. EBV infections are difficult to diagnose in the laboratory since the virus does not grow in standard cell cultures. The majority of infections can be identified, by testing the patient's serum for heterophile antibodies (rapid latex slide agglutination test, eg, MONOS / Infectious Mononucleosis, Rapid Test, Serum). Heterophile antibodies usually appear within the first 3 weeks of illness but decline rapidly within a few weeks. However, this heterophile antibody fails to develop in about 10% of adults, more frequently in children, and almost uniformly in infants with primary EBV infections. Most of these heterophile antibody negative cases of infectious mononucleosis-like infections are due to cytomegalovirus, but in one series of 43 cases, EBV was the cause in 7. In cases where EBV is suspected but the heterophile antibody is not detected, an evaluation of EBV-specific antibodies (eg, IgM and IgG antibodies to EBV viral capsid antigen [VCA]) and antibodies to EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) may be useful. The EBV enzyme immunoassays that detect antibodies to the EBV VCA and early antigen (EA) are more sensitive than heterophile antibody tests.
Infection with EBV usually occurs early in life. For several weeks to months after acute onset of the infection, it is spread by upper respiratory secretions that contain the virus. Among the clinical disorders due to EBV infection, infectious mononucleosis is the most common. Other disorders due to EBV infection include African-type Burkitt lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). EBV infection may also cause lymphoproliferative syndromes, especially in patients with AIDS and in patients who have undergone kidney or bone marrow transplantation.
Using immunofluorescent staining techniques, 2 patterns of EA are seen: diffuse staining of both cytoplasm and nucleus (early antigen-diffuse: EA-D) and cytoplasmic or early antigen restricted (EA-R). Antibodies responsible for the diffuse staining pattern are seen in infectious mononucleosis and NPC and are measured in this assay.
Reference Values
Negative
Reference values apply to all ages.
Cautions
This test detects the diffuse components of early antigen only.
Report Available
Same day/1 to 3 daysPerforming Laboratory
Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester
Test Classification
This test has been cleared, approved, or is exempt by the US Food and Drug Administration and is used per manufacturer's instructions. Performance characteristics were verified by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.CPT Code Information
86663