Abstract:

Background

Epstein–Barr virus and cytomegalovirus are herpesviruses, in which primary infection may be asymptomatic or cause an infectious mononucleosis-like disease. Although the virus typically targets lymphocytes, a particular blood cell involved in the immune response, almost all organ systems can ultimately be affected by EBV infection. Cytomegalovirus is responsible for a significant percentage of asymptomatic viral infections worldwide. It is important that any cell or organ may be infected .

EBV infection is transmitted from person to person by contact with infectious body fluids – saliva, breast milk etc., sexual contact, blood transfusion . CMVC is detected in the saliva of between 11 and 24% of children attending day-care centers .

Transmition of CMV is by body fluids, sexual contact, blood transfusion, during delivery, or organ transplant .

Aim

The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of EBV virus and CMV in consecutive patients who attend a dental office.

Methods

116 concecutive dental patients participated in the study – 35 male and 81 females, with an average age of 49.3 ± sd 13.9. years. All the patients underwent oral examination. The clinical findings were common oral pathology, common superficial oral lesions, without any maxillo-facial malignancy. All the participants had no data of any malignancy in any part of the body.

Results

Elevated IgM antibodies to CMV were detedced in 2.8%. 6% were positive for VCA-IgM antibodies. Positive VCA-IgG was detected in almost 97 % of all tested dental patients and this reveals that the person has a current or recent EBV infection and may have reactivation of EBV.

Conclusion

This is the first report concerning the prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus in Bulgarian dental patients. The majority of dental patients (95%) have a chronic infection of EBV and some of them reactivate the virus. 8% have an acute infection of EBV and 2,8% of CMV. Coinfections of EBV and CMV were not present in our patients.