Pandemic-Driven Shifts in Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Epidemiology: Single Center Study

Abstract

Social distancing, hand hygiene, mask wearing, surface decontamination, travel restrictions, and school closures have been implemented worldwide to control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It was reported that the number of EBV infections as well as the age characteristics of infected persons before and after the COVID-19 pandemic significantly decreased in children from China. Since no studies have explored the changes in EBV-associated lymphomas so far, our aim was to explore EBV infection and viralassociated Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in a pediatric cohort from a single center. A decrease in EBV+ children by serology was proved, in particular, in those undergoing primary infection, along with a significant increase in the mean age of healthy carriers. Furthermore, a decrease in EBV-associated pediatric cHL was observed post-pandemic, particularly in the NS subtype, with a marked decrease in cases diagnosed from 2022 onward. Even though the underlying reasons for the change in incidence rates seen in this study still remain speculative, it could be hypothesized that, after the pandemic, older children have a better ability to control the EBV-mediated lymphomagenesis, based on the fact that the age of infected patients increased.