Antibodies against herpesviruses in patients with Hodgkin's disease.

The antibody titres to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) were determined in 57 adult patients with Hodgkin's disease and a group of age- and sex-matched controls. In the group of patients, the geometric mean antibody titres to EBV capsid antigen, CMV early and late antigens, and also VZV, were significantly higher than in the healthy controls. Antibodies to early antigens of EBV and CMV were found more commonly in patients than in controls. The raised antibody titres to herpesviruses were taken to be the result of the disturbed cellular immunity in Hodgkin's disease.