Correlation between allergy and persistent Epstein-Barr virus infections in chronic-active Epstein-Barr virus-infected patients.

Forty-six anti-Epstein Barr nuclear antigen-positive allergic patients, 11 of whom having clinical and laboratory evidence of chronic-active Epstein-Barr virus (CA-EBV) infections, were characterized by EBV serology, percentages of T cells, B cells, and IgE+ cells, serum levels of IgE, and allergen-induced responsiveness of lymphocytes. Results demonstrated patients with CA-EBV have significantly increased responsiveness toward specific allergens, responses toward greater numbers of allergens, numbers of IgE+ T and B cells, and levels of background DNA activity in nonstimulated lymphocytes than do subjects who suffer from allergies in the absence of the CA-EBV syndrome. Further comparison between subjects with laboratory-determined mild and moderate allergy and those with CA-EBV demonstrated a progressive increase in the serum levels of IgE as the degree of allergy increased, no difference in concentrations of T and B cells, and titers of anti-viral capsid antigen and anti-early antigen to be significantly greater in patients with CA-EBV. Statistical analysis demonstrated that patients with CA-EBV could be separated from subjects with allergies by metabolic and immunologic variables. The data suggested that allergen-induced responses may contribute to the CA-EBV syndrome.