Sero-detection of Epstein-Barr virus and Cytomegalovirus Antibodies among patients with Systemic lupus Erythematous in Sudan

Infection by Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein - Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Systemic lupus Erythematous (SLE). The current study aimed to determine the frequency of EBV and CMV IgG among Sudanese patients with SLE. A case-control analytical study was conducted on 82 participants in Khartoum State during the period from 2017 to 2018. Serum from patients with SLE (n=62), and controls participants (n=20) were tested for IgG antibodies against EBV and CMV using the Avidity ELISA assay. Pretested questionnaire data were analyzed by SPSS software V.20 (IBM, Chicago,IL). Means and proportions of the demographic were calculated for SLE seropositive groups. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis were used for SLE as a dependent factor while IgG seropositive groups of EBV and CMV as the independent variable and, SLE variables as dependent variables. Odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval was calculated and statistical significance was defined as a P value below 0.05. Eighty-two females with SLE volunteered to participate in this study, including 62 cases with systemic lupus erythematosus and 20 control participants. Average age means ± SD (34±1.4) for cases and (34±1.6) for controls. Original tribes in Sudan were screened Avidity assay for Western State 37(45.1%), Northern State 29(35.4%), Central State 17(20.7%), and Southern State1 (1.2%) respectively. Seropositivity of IgG by Avidity assay revealed high score for CMV 60 (96.8%) among cases vs 19(95%) among controls, (OR 1.579, CI -95% (0.136-18.4), P <0.05). Seropositivity for both EBV and Co-infection was 58 (98.3%) vs 16 (80.0%) among cases and controls, respectively (OR 3.625, CI -95% (0.227-2.708), P <0.05). Patients with SLE in Sudan have a high rate of infections by EBV and CMV as evidenced by the IgG avidity test indicating association.