Humoral antibodies to the capsid antigen of Epstein-Barr virus in Hodgkin's disease.

By the method of indirect immunofluorescence it has been shown in P3HR-I cells that sera from patients with Hodgkin's disease contain high titers of humoral antibodies to the capsid antigen of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Higher titers of antibodies of EBV were found in histological variants of Hodgkin's disease with an unfavorable course. The variant of lymphocyte depletion is accomplished by higher titers of the virus and poorer prognosis than the nodular-sclerotic variant having a course with lower titers of antibodies and better prognosis. At the same time, the level of antibodies does not depend on the results of the therapy applied. In the sera of patients with reticulosarcoma or lymphosarcoma no increase in the level of antibodies to EBV has been discovered in comparison with a group of healthy donors; in acute leukemia a certain tendency to decrease in the level of antibodies to this virus can be observed.