Quantitative determination of papovavirus IgG antibodies in sera from cancer patients, labworkers and several groups of control persons by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of specific IgG antibodies against the capsid antigen of SV40 and SV40-GBM is described. We have determined the presence of SV40 and SV40-GBM IgG antibodies, respectively, in sera of labworkers who are in intensive or rare contact to SV40, in sera of tumor patients as well as in sera of different control persons. In 13% of the sera of the control group antibodies against SV40 were found, when the persons were born 1962 or later. They received SV40-free poliomyelitis vaccine. On the other hand 24% of the sera were positive when the people were born between 1959-61 and probably received SV40-contaminated poliomyelitis vaccine. A similar percentage of positive sera (21-32%) were found in cancer patients suffering on different tumors. Also 29% of the sera of labworkers, born before 1955 and with rare contact to SV40 reacted positive. However, 55% of the sera of labworkers had positive sera when they were in intensive contact to SV40. The results presented and discussed in the light of SV40 as a possible risk factor for the human population.