Genotypic analysis of Epstein-Barr virus isolates associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Northern China.

OBJECTIVES To characterize the specific Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) polymorphisms from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients and healthy donors in Northern China, and to explore the relationship between the EBV genotypes and NPC. METHODS The genotypes of EBV strains were analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS The predominant EBV type was A, C or F in both NPC and healthy individuals. The distributions of the EBV subtypes between NPC and healthy donors were not significantly different (p > 0.05). The frequency of type f strains in NPC was significantly lower in Northern China than in Southern China. CONCLUSIONS No evidence of special EBV genotypes associated with NPC was found, suggesting that EBV strains derived from the NPC patients may reflect geographic distribution rather than being NPC restricted.