EBV VCA specific immunoglobulin a serum antibody titre levels in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients at the Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

Objective:to investigate and determine the relationship between anti-EBV ImmunoglobulinA titre levels and nasopharyngeal carcinoma and its significance in patients diagnosed at Kenyatta National Hospital Design:case control study Setting:the study was conducted in the ENT, pathology, and radio-oncology departments ofuniversityof Nairobi and KNH. Methodology:5 mls of venous blood was collected from 80 patients with a histological diagnosisof NPC, and 80 randomly selected blood donors at the blood transfusion unit. Serumcollected was subjected to an ELISA test to determine the titre levels of EBV specificIgA antibodies, levels of EBV titres in the patients with NPC were compared withthose of the control group. Results:show that 35% of patients with NPC had raised titres (titre level> 1:10) while 22.5%, of the control group had raised titres , correlating well with other international studies done elsewhere. Conclusions: anti-EBV IgA titre levels are significantly raised in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and is not sensitive enough to be used as a diagnostic test.however the titres can be used as an aid in diagnosis in cases where histological diagnosis is unclear, but clinical evidence points in direction of nasopharyngeal carcmoma.