Elevated titer of antibodies to Simian sarcoma virus envelope antigen (gp70) and normal response to influenza virus in untreated Danish Hodgkin's patients.

Untreated Danish Hodgkin's disease (HD) patients and paired age- and sex-matched controls were tested for serum antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), six strains of influenza virus and Simian sarcoma virus/Simian sarcoma-associated virus [SSV(SSAV)] antigens. HD sera showed significantly elevated titers against EBV and both increased incidence and mean titer of antibodies to the envelope glycoprotein of SSV(SSAV), whereas testing against the influenza viruses revealed no differences between HD and controls. A focus reduction assay demonstrated a low incidence in HD and controls of sera with neutralizing effects against SSV(SSAV) and the "baboon" C-type virus component of the human HL-23 virus complex, which seemed coupled to HL-A type W19.