Test ID: EBVE
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), IgG Antibody to Early Antigen, Serum
NY State Approved 
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.
Useful For Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful
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
Method Name A short description of the method used to perform the test
Multiplex Flow Immunoassay
Reporting Name A shorter/abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test; an abbreviated test name
Aliases Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching
EA (Early Antigen)
Early Antigen
EBV EARLY AG(S)
Epstein Barr Virus Early Ag Ab
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Early Antigen
Specimen Type Describes the specimen type needed for testing
Specimen Required Defines the optimal specimen. This field describes the type of specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing. The volume allows automated processing, fastest throughput and, when indicated, repeat or reflex testing.
Container/Tube:
Preferred: Red top
Acceptable: Serum gel
Specimen Volume: 1 mL
Specimen Minimum Volume Defines the amount of specimen required to perform an assay once, including instrument and container dead space. Submitting the minimum specimen volume makes it impossible to repeat the test or perform confirmatory or perform reflex testing. In some situations, a minimum specimen volume may result in a QNS (quantity not sufficient) result, requiring a second specimen to be collected.
Reject Due To Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected
| Hemolysis | Mild OK; Gross reject |
| Lipemia | Mild OK; Gross reject |
| Icterus | NA |
| Other | Heat-activated specimen |
Specimen Stability Information Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the laboratory. Alternate acceptable temperature(s) are also included.
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Serum | Refrigerated (preferred) | 14 days |
| Frozen | 14 days |
Clinical Information Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test
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 recognized, however, by testing the patient's serum for heterophile antibodies (rapid latex slide agglutination test; eg, MONOS/9081 Infectious Mononucleosis Rapid Test, Serum). Heterophile antibodies usually appear within the first 3 weeks of illness, but then decline rapidly within a few weeks. The heterophile antibody, however, 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 1 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 EIA tests 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 renal or bone marrow transplantation.
Using immunofluorescent staining techniques, 2 patterns of EA are seen-1) diffuse staining of both cytoplasm and nucleus (early antigen-diffuse: EA-D) and 2) cytoplasmic or early antigen restricted (EA-R). Antibodies responsible for the diffuse staining pattern (EA-D) are seen in infectious mononucleosis and NPC, and are measured in this assay.
Reference Values Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.
Negative
Interpretation Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results
The presence of antibody to the early antigen (EA) of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) indicates that EBV is actively replicating.
Generally, this antibody can only be detected during active EBV infection, such as in patients with infectious mononucleosis. Clinical studies have indicated that patients who have chronic active or reactivated EBV infection commonly have elevated levels of IgG-class antibodies to the EA of EBV.
IgG antibody specific for the diffuse early antigen of EBV is often found in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Of patients with type 2 or 3 NPC (World Health Organization classification), 94% and 83% respectively, have positive-antibody responses to EA. Only 35% of patients with type 1 NPC have a positive response. The specificity of the test is such that 82% to 91% of healthy blood donor controls and patients who do not have NPC have negative responses (9%-18% false-positives). Although this level of specificity is useful for diagnostic purposes, the false-positive rate indicates that the test is not useful for NPC screening.
Cautions Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances
This test detects the diffuse components of early antigen only.
Clinical Reference Provides recommendations for further in-depth reading of a clinical nature
1. Fields BN, Knipe DM: Epstein-Barr virus. In Fields Virology. Fourth edition. Edited by BN Fields, DM Knipe, PM Howley. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2001
2. Lennette ET: Epstein-Barr virus. In Manual of Clinical Microbiology. Sixth edition. Edited by PR Murray, EJ Baron, MA Pfaller, et al. Washington, DC, ASM Press, 1995, pp 905-910
Method Description Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference
Testing is performed on the BioPlex 2200 System for the detection of the EA-diffuse (EA-D) antibody. An aliquot of the patient serum, sample diluent, and bead reagent are combined in a reaction vessel. After washing, antihuman-IgG antibody conjugated to phycoerythrin (PE) is added to the beads and incubated. Another wash step removes excess conjugate, and beads are subsequently resuspended in wash buffer. The bead mixture passes through a detector where the identity of each bead is determined by the bead's dye fluorescence. In addition, the amount of antibody captured by the antigen is measured by the fluorescence of the bound PE.(Package insert: BioPlex 2200 System EBV EA-D, Bio-Rad Laboratories Clinical Diagnostics Group, Hercules CA, 2007)
Day(s) and Time(s) Test Performed Outlines the days and times the test is performed. This field reflects the day and time the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time required before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means assays are performed several times during the day.
Monday through Friday; 10 a.m.
Analytic Time Defines the amount of time it takes the laboratory to setup and perform the test. This is defined in number of days. The shortest interval of time expressed is "same day/1 day," which means the results may be available the same day that the sample is received in the testing laboratory. One day means results are available 1 day after the sample is received in the laboratory.
Maximum Laboratory Time Defines the maximum time from specimen receipt at Mayo Medical Laboratories until the release of the test result
Specimen Retention Time Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded
Performing Laboratory Location The location of the laboratory that performs the test
Test Classification Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer's instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR), Investigation Use Only (IUO) product, or a Research Use Only (RUO) product.
CPT Code Information Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Medical Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.
86663
LOINC® Code Information Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the result codes returned for this test or profile.
| Result ID | Reporting Name | LOINC Code |
|---|---|---|
| EBVE | EBV EA IgG Ab, S | 22295-0 |
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