Research on the relationship between epstein-barr virus (EBv) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the predictability of RA by VCA-IgA

Objective To explore the relationship between EBv infection and rheumatoid RA pathogenesis,and the disease forecast based on serum VCA-IgA of RA.Methods 72 cases of RA patients were chosen as RA group while 144 normal people as normal group.EBv-DNA and serum VCA-IgA were measured from the samples of the two groups.Results There was no significant difference based on the positive rate of EBv-DNA from RA group and normal group had (P ＞ 0.05),the positive rate of VCA-IgA of RA group and normal group were respectively 90.3％ and 6.9％ and there was significant difference between two groups (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion There is no correlation between EBv infection and the pathogenesis of RA,but serum EBv antibody VCA-IgA assay has predictive value in the diagnosis of RA. Key words: Rheumatoid arthritis;  EB virus;  IgA