Correlation of Epstein Barr Virus Infection and Related Immune Response among Iraqi Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Abstract

Background: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), an autoimmune thyroid gland disease and the leading cause of hypothyroidism in developed countries. HT may develop at any stage of life, especially between the ages of 30 and 50 years, and affects females more than males within a ratio of 10:1. The HT prevalence is approximately 2 percent across all age groups, with an annual incidence of 0.3 to 1.5 cases per 1,000 individuals. The TH etiology is multifactorial, incorporating both genetic and environmental factors. New evidence suggests that viral infection and uncontrolled related immune response may serve as triggering of HT. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a double-stranded DNA virus that demonstrates a distinctive tropism towards B lymphocytes and can modulate and evade the immune system. Emerging evidence linked EBV to the onset or development of HT.