[The latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) activation and EBV-specific immunological abnormality in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected hemophiliacs].

Immunological state of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected hemophiliacs are studied as compared with that of healthy controls. (1) EBV-specific cellular immunity observed in HIV infected hemophiliacs is significantly lower than that of HIV-uninfected patients and healthy controls. (2) The titers of anti-EBNA anti-VCA antibody and anti-EA antibody in HIV-infected hemophiliacs are significantly higher than those of HIV-uninfected patients and healthy controls. Furthermore, EBV is isolated in throat washings taken from all HIV-infected hemophiliacs. (3) Surface immunoglobulin (sIg) analysis of EBV transformed lymphoblastic cell lines (LCL) revealed that sIgD positive cell percentage in HIV-infected patients is significantly higher than those of HIV-uninfected patients and healthy controls. Based on these results, it is suggested that HIV infection may give rise to the reactivation of latent EBV and may relate in not only the defect of severe cellular immunity but also the derangement of humoral immunity.