Evolution of EBV seroprevalence and primary infection age in a French hospital and a city laboratory network, 2000–2016 (2017) Fourcade et al

[Hoopoe]

In the last decades, several works have reported changes in the epidemiology of EBV infection. For example, in Tokyo, Japan, and its neighboring prefectures, seroprevalence in 5-to-7-year-old children was higher than 80% before the early 1990s, whereas it decreased to 59% in the years 1995–1999 [5]. In the USA, seroprevalence in 6-to-19-year-olds declined from 72% in 2003–2004 to 65% in 2009–2010 [4]. Moreover, a study conducted in England and Wales suggests that the age at EBV PI is increasing [7]. We therefore aimed to determine whether the epidemiology of EBV infection has evolved over the last years in the Isère department, France.

The analysis of our data suggests that EBV infection in France is acquired at a later age than previously observed, and that the severity of the infection is correlated with the age at PI. Therefore, in the coming years, severe EBV PI is likely to become more frequent, as may be the case for late complications of IM. An EBV vaccine may become even more relevant if this trend can be confirmed.

One of the complications of making first contact with EBV at an older age appears to be ME/CFS.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5393566/