Investigation of the presence of Epstein-Barr virus in patients who had Oral Lichen Planus and Oral Lichenoid Contact Lesions with Real-time PCR method in serum, tissue, and saliva samples.

OBJECTIVE

Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) is an immune system disease and its cause has not been fully determined yet. Oral Lichenoid Contact Lesions (OLCL) is an allergic condition known to develop because of dental materials. It is considered that some infectious agents (e.g., Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)) play roles in the etiology of OLP and OLCL. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the presence of EBV in different clinical samples of patients who had OLP and OLCL, to show its relationship with OLCL, and to determine its role in etiopathogenesis in these patients.

METHODS

Twenty (20) OLCL, twenty-three (23) OLP, and twenty (20) healthy volunteers who applied to Istanbul University Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery were included in the study, regardless of gender. Biopsy samples were taken from patients who had a 5mm punch, including the mucosa containing the lesion along with saliva and blood samples, and all clinical samples were sent to the Department of Medical Microbiology Laboratory under appropriate storage conditions. After the isolation of the DNA from clinical samples, EBV DNA was analyzed on the Light Cycler 480 II device by using Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) tests. The evaluation of the statistical data of the results was made by using the SPSS program.

RESULTS

When the data were evaluated, EBV DNA positivity was detected in 13.04% of the patients who had OLP, 10% of the patients who had OLCL, and 5% of the individuals in the Control Group. In saliva samples, EBV DNA was found positive in 21.74% of individuals with OLP, 15% of individuals with OLCL, and 10% of individuals in the Control Group. In the biopsy samples, EBV DNA was detected positive in 21.74% of the OLP patients, 15% of the OLCL patients, and 10% of the Control Group individuals.

CONCLUSION

Based on the findings of the present study, no significant differences were observed in the presence of EBV DNA or the quantitative viral load between patients with OLP, OLCL, and the Control Group. However, the quantitative EBV DNA results varied depending on the type of clinical sample selected. We believe that comprehensive studies that will include a larger number of samples must be conducted to determine the role of EBV in OLP and OLCL.