en میکروب شناسی Microbiology <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Background:</strong></em> Among the eight known human herpes viruses, Epstein- Barr virus (EBV) is considered to be sexually transmissible. This study was conducted to evaluate the seroepidemiology of this infection in married and unmarried Iranian couples.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Methods:</strong></em> In this comparative observational and cross-sectional study, 160 men and women were divided into married and unmarried groups. Serum IgG and IgM antibodies to the EBV viral capsid antigen were analyzed by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Results:</strong></em> In this study 78 men and 82 women were enrolled. Ninety percent of the married and 76.2% of the unmarried women were anti-EBV IgG positive (P = 0.08), while 80% of the married and 94% of the unmarried men were antiEBV IgG positive (P = 0.052).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Conclusion:</strong></em> Seroepidemiology of EBV is not significantly different in married vs. unmarried women and men in Iran; therefore, sexual contact may not be the primary mechanism of EBV transmission in Iran and other developing countries. Attention to other possible routes of transmission is recommended.</p> Anti-VCA, Epstein Barr Virus, Sexual contact 94 97 http://rbmb.net/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-28&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Morteza Pourahamad 10031947532846006000 10031947532846006000 No Department of Internal Medicine, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Iran Farhang Hooshmand 10031947532846006001 10031947532846006001 No Department of Pathology, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Sara Olyaee Nezhad 10031947532846006002 10031947532846006002 No Medical Student, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Iran - Student Research Committee, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Iran Abdolali Sepidkar Mortezapourahmad@gmail.com 10031947532846006003 10031947532846006003 Yes Department of Surgery, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Iran.