Genotype identification of EBV.

Direct PCR analysis was used to determine the genotype identification of EBV of several different polymorphic loci of the EBV genome in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and multiple lymphoid and epithelial tissues obtained at different anatomic sites of the normal individual viral carriers (VC1-7). Multiple viral strains were detected at different tissues and PBMCs within individual viral carriers. Considerable variability in amplification of viral strains was also noted at different anatomic sites within the same person. Coresident viruses were designated as distinct strains when PCR analysis detected either (i) both type 1 and 2 viruses or (ii) mixed infection of both deletion and wild-type LMP1 variants or (iii) mixed infection of both BamHI F and f.