The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a known oncogenic virus associated with various
lymphoma subtypes throughout the world. However, there is a lack of information regarding EBV prevalence in
lymphoma patients, specifically in Ethiopia. This study aimed to investigate the presence of the EBV and determine its viral load in
lymphoma patients from Ethiopia using molecular and serological approaches.
Lymphoma patient samples were collected from the Ethiopian population.
DNA and serum samples were extracted and subjected to molecular detection methods, including quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis targeting the EBNA1 gene. Serological analyses were performed using an
enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect EBV viral capsid
antigen IgG antibodies. EBV
DNA was detected in 99% of
lymphoma patients using qPCR, and serological analyses showed EBV presence in 96% of cases. A high EBV viral load (>10,000 EBV copies/mL) was observed in 56.3% of patients. The presence of high EBV viral loads was observed in 59.3% of HL patients and 54.8% of NHL patients. This study provides important insights into the prevalence and viral load of the EBV among
lymphoma patients in Ethiopia. The findings contribute to the limited knowledge in this area and can serve as a foundation for future research.