[Why are there anti-cardiolipin antibodies in patients with infectious mononucleosis and in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus?].

The phenomenon of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) is in recent years the subject of interest as it is connected with manifestations of thromboses at different sites, with repeated miscarriages in pregnant women and with thrombocytopenia. As compared with the original finding in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the authors find they are present also in infection with the Epstein-Barr virus--in patients with acute infectious mononucleosis, in as many as 61% of a total number of 77 examined patients; in a group of 60 patients with SLE in 41% and in a group of healthy controls in 3.9%. aCL differ, however, as regards the distribution of isotypes--aCL of class IgM are found mainly in infectious mononucleosis, class IgG in patients with SLE. The authors discuss problems associated with the development and practical importance of these antibodies.