EBV Antibody Research Articles

Correlation between Epstein Barr virus antibodies, serum IgE and atopic disease.

It is currently accepted that viral infections may influence the development of atopy. In the present study we evaluated serum IgE levels as well as the prevalence of symptoms indicative of atopic disease and EBV antibodies in 353 children aged from 1 month to 19 years. Antibodies against EBV were detected by immunofluorescence. IgE levels in serum were measured by enzyme immunoassay. Dividing the study population according to EBV seropositivity and age, we noted that the prevalence of high IgE levels (> 2 s.d.) was, in total, more frequent in the EBV negative (32.9%) than in the positive subjects (27.6%). Interestingly, this higher prevalence was found only in the groups aged under six, especially in the 7 to 29 month group, where it was statistically significant (p=0.037), whereas in the 6-19 year group the situation was reversed. Furthermore, selecting only the atopic children younger than 3 years of age with high IgE levels and clinical symptoms of atopy (wheezing and/or dermatitis) it was possible to demonstrate lower EBV seropositivity compared with the normal IgE controls for each group, even though these differences were not statistically significant. In conclusion, the results of our study suggest that, in our selected population, EBV infection in the first years of life is associated with a lower prevalence of high IgE levels.

顔面神経麻ひの治癒とＥＢウイルス抗体

Sixty two new cases of Bell's palsy or Hunt syndrome seen during 46 months at our clinic were examined to determine the relationship between the clinical course and the EBV antibody titer.Anti-EBV VGA IgG titers were significantly higher in patients with a prolonged illness than in those who recovered promptly. However, anti-EBV EBNA titers were lower in the former than in the later group. This findings suggests that cell-mediated immunity of the patients enhances their recovery process.

Study on the Relation between Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and EBV Antibody

Study on the Relation between Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and EBV Antibody

Defective cell-mediated response to EBV-transformed B cells in a healthy individual with regular EBV antibody titers.

We have analyzed the EBV-related immune parameters of a healthy EBV-seropositive individual (ST) who has regular antibody titers but defective inhibitory capacity toward the growth of autologous EBV-infected B cells. This in vitro function reflects the EBV-specific memory because it does not occur in experiments performed with cells of seronegative individuals. An analysis of events following in vitro EBV infection showed that lymphocytes of ST behaved in some tests in the same way as those collected from seronegative individuals. These parameters were: lack of gamma-IFN production 24 hr after EBV infection; low production of soluble factors that inhibit EBV-induced B-cell proliferation; lack of generation of LCL selective cytotoxicity after repeated stimulation with autologous LCL; and high proportion of EBNA-positive cells in 7-day-old EBV-infected cultures. On the other hand, cellular memory to the virus detected by the production of IL-2 24 hr after infection, and by the production of LIF upon exposure to EBV-encoded antigens, conformed with the results obtained with seropositive individuals. T-cell-mediated inhibition of EBV-induced B-cell growth in vitro has been regarded as a corollary of in vivo control of EBV-infected B cells. However, it is absent or has a low efficiency in certain disease categories which are not accompanied by risk of B-EBV growth. Our results with a healthy individual also indicate that several mechanisms contribute to a harmless life-long virus carrier state.

X-Linked Lymphoproliferative Syndrome Registry report

Immune deficiency, especially to the Epstein-Barr virus, and increased susceptibility to fatal infectious mononucleosis, acquired agammoglobulinemia, and lymphoma are the cardinal features of the X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome. Since the establishment of the XLP Registry in September, 1978, 59 affected males in seven unrelated kindreds were comprehensively studied. A spectrum of lymphoproliferative phenotypes was observed. Thirty-four patients (57%) died from infectious mononucleosis, eight (14%) had fatal infectious mononucleosis with lymphoma (immunoblastic sarcoma), nine (15%) had depressed immunity following EBV infection, and eight (14%) developed lymphoma. Several patients with XLP lacked EBV antibodies despite infection by EBV. The results of this study suggest that EBV can be an oncogenic agent in patients who are immune deficient with XLP.

Inhibition of the in Vitro Outgrowth of Epstein-Barr Virus-Infected Lymphocytes by TG Lymphocytes

Abstract Human T lymphocyte subpopulations from subjects not acutely infected with EBV have been selected and examined for ability to inhibit the outgrowth of autologous B lymphocytes that have undergone in vitro infection with EB virus. The results show that only TG lymphocytes are inhibitory. TG lymphocytes from subjects who are EBV antibody-negative inhibit as well as those from subjects who have EBV antibody. TG lymphocyte populations, as well as other T cell fractions obtained from neonatal subjects, fail to inhibit the outgrowth of infected, autologous lymphocytes under the conditions tested. We propose that NK cells are responsible for the inhibitory effects described in this report.

Simultaneous presence of EBNA‐positive and colony‐forming cells in peripheral blood of patients with infectious mononucleosis

EBNA-positive lymphoblast cells were detected in 0.1 to 0.9% of the T-cell-depleted lymphocytes obtained from peripheral blood samples of five patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM). The same blood specimens from four of the five patients contained cells that formed EBNA-positive colonies in soft agar containing EBV antibodies. The ratio of the colony formers to EBNA-positive cells was higher in blood samples taken early in the disease than in those obtained in later stages of the disease. The present results strongly suggest that EBV-transformed cells are present in the peripheral circulation of IM patients and that such cells can directly give rise to immortalized cell lines in vitro.

A comparison of the prognostic value of antibody‐dependent lymphocyte cytotoxicity and other ebv antibody assays in Chinese patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Antibody titres to EBV-associated antigens in Chinese NPC patients were analysed according to length of survival after diagnosis and to disease stage. Geometric mean titres of ADLC antibody were highest in the long-term survivors, whereas VCA, EA and EBNA antibody titres showed an inverse relationship to survival. High VCA, EA and EBNA titres were less frequent, and high ADLC titres were more frequent in long-term survivors than in intermediate or short-term survivors. The association of geometric mean titres of EBV antibodies with prognosis could not be entirely explained by stage of disease. A functional role for the ADLC antibody is suggested by the association of a high ADLC antibody titre with a good prognosis regardless of stage of disease.

Comparative studies on immunity to EBV‐associated antigens in NPC patients in North America, Tunisia, France and Hong Kong

This study compared the relative antibody titers to EBV-related antigens in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and controls from a high-incidence (Hong Kong), an intermediate incidence (Tunisia), and two low-incidence (France, North America) areas to determine which of several EBV antibodies best differentiated NPC patients from controls. Antibodies measured include anti-virus capsid antigen (VCA), anti-early antigen (EA), anti-soluble antigen by complement-fixation (CF) and antibody-dependent lymphocyte cytotoxicity (ADLC). A matched pair analysis showed that significantly more NPC patients had higher VCA and EA but not CF or ADLC antibody titers than their matched cancer controls. The comparison of geometric mean titers between NPC cases and controls was more than seven-fold (816 vs 11.5) for EA antibody and more than three-fold (359.7 vs 95.4) for VCA anti-body (p less than 0.01). A two-fold difference was seen for CF antibody to soluble antigens (27.3 vs 12.9, p less than 0.01) and a three-fold difference (2657.7 vs 870.9, p less than 0.05) was observed for ADLC. Our finding of significant differences between NPC patients from four countries and their matched controls suggest that if EBV is the etiological agent of NPC in Chinese, it is quite likely to cause the majority of NPC cases in other ethnic groups living in other countries as well.

Measurement of heterophil antibody and antibodies to EB viral capsid antigen IgG and IgM in suspected cases of infectious mononucleosis.

The EBV IgG titres in acute and convalescent specimens from 97 cases of infectious mononucleosis were compared with titres from acute and convalescent sera from 96 students with illnesses resembling infectious mononucleosis but without heterophil antibody, EB IgM or EB IgG seroconversion; and also with titres from 91 healthy students known to have had EB IgG antibody for at least six months. These titres were related to the titre of the Research Standard A.66/235 for infectious mononucleosis serum prepared by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control. Serial sera were tested for heterophil antibody and EBVCA specific IgG and IgM from 61 university students with infectious mononucleosis. The period of persistence of heterophil antibody and EBV IgM after illness was outlined from the results of the tests. Single sera from 406 patients in hospital or general practice sent to the diagnostic laboratory for heterophil antibody tests were also tested for EBV antibodies without prior knowledge of the heterophil antibody result. The close agreement between heterophil antibody and EBV IgM results is shown. False positive EB IgM results were correlated with the presence of rheumatoid factor.

EB virus antibody and infectious mononucleosis in a boarding school for boys.

A study of EB virus antibody was undertaken in a boarding school for boys between 11 and 18 years of age; 35% of boys had EBV antibody when first sampled and a small number acquired antibody each year. Some of these boys had had no recorded illness during the period before the first positive sample and some developed classic infectious mononucleosis which was accompainied by a positive heterophil antibody test and detection of EB virus specific IgM. In a school of 800 boys there were 13 cases of infectious mononucleosis in four years.

Lymphopenic Infectious Mononucleosis

Lymphopenic IM is a real phenomenon. It is likely to appear as a more severe clinical illness and, in contrast to the benign course to typical IM, may have a poorer prognosis. The clinical spectrum of IM should be extended to included to include lymphopenic patients if their diagnosis is supported by appropriate heterophil and EBV antibody titers.

ACQUIRED AGAMMAGLOBULINEMIA IN 3 RELATED MALE CHILDREN FOLLOWING AN ILLNESS WITH CLINICAL AND LABORATORY FEATURES OF INFECTIOUS MONONUCLEOSIS

Three male children in 1 family (2 siblings and 1 maternal cousin) have presented with an illness characterized by cervical adenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, fever and subsequent development of agammaglobulinemia in the 2 survivors. Both siblings presented at age 8 with positive heterophile titers. EBV titers were not obtained. The maternal cousin became ill at age 6 months; EBV antibodies were detected on 3 occasions but the heterophile titer was negative. Peripheral WBC rose to a level of 120,000/mm3 with 90% lymphocytes, most being “atypical” in morphology. Evaluation of peripheral blood lymphocytes at the height of the illness showed 94% T-cells and 6% B-cells with normal lymphocyte transformation in response to phytohemagglutinin. Immunoglobulin analysis initially showed marked IgM elevation with normal IgA and decreased IgG. Subsequently serial analyses revealed absence of the 3 major immunoglobulins. Lymph node biopsies of the surviving sibling and cousin showed replacement of normal architecture by necrotic material. The association (x-linked) of acquired agammaglobulinemia following an illness with features of infectious mononucleosis has not been previously reported. Its pathogenesis may involve an abnormal T-cell response to EBV transformation of B-cells leading to B-cell dysfunction, lymph node necrosis, and agammaglobulinemia.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: Elevated epstein-barr virus antibody titers and failure of amantadine therapy

Twelve new cases of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis were seen over a period of 2 years in Montreal (and 2 additional cases since the preparation of this report) indicating a high incidence (1.0 per million per year) of this disease in the Province of Quebec with a total population of 6 million inhabitants. A history of measles was obtained in 10 cases and of live attenuated measles vaccination in the other 2 cases. Measles occurred at or under the age of 2 years in 7 cases and the mean age of onset of SSPE was 7.3 years. A few unusual observations were made: (1) The finding of EBV antibodies in 8 cases tested, 5 of which had titers above 1 80 ; (2) The isolation and/or electron microscopy detection of a presumably latent herpes and adenovirus 21 following co-cultivation of biopsy or autopsy material; (3) The failure of amantadine in 3 cases to alter the course of the disease.

EBV infections in Brazil. I. Occurrence in normal persons, in lymphomas and in leukemias.

AbstractComparisons of IF antibody tests with EB3 and Jijoye cells indicated an overall agreement of 80%. However, the Jijoye line results in a higher frequency of positives at 1:10, a higher frequency of elevated titers of 1:160 or more, and a higher geometric mean antibody titer than with EB3 cells. At titers of 1:320 or higher the results with the two lines were quite comparable and are taken as elevated. Antibody to EBV is widely present in sera from Brazilian residents. Infection occurs early in life in the lower socioeconomic groups. In the middle and upper economic groups over 50% have antibody by age 12. In 69 lymphoma cases tested, all except one (Hodgkin's disease) had EBV antibody demonstrable at 1:10 titer or higher. Elevated EBVantibody titers at levels of 1:320 or higher were found in 41.9% of sera from the 43 cases of Hodgkin's disease having antibody and 4 of 8 cases of Burkitt's lymphoma; the geometric mean titers (GMT) were 1:173.4 and 1:246.8 respectively as compared to 1:51.4 in controls. In 13 cases of lymphosarcoma 23.1% had titers of 1:320 or higher and the GMT was 1:104.4. ERV antibody titer was present but not elevated in four cases of reticulosarcoma. Of 43 leukemia patients, one lacked EBV antibody at 1:10. Of the 42 possessing antibody, 31.0% had elevated titers with a GMT of 1:142.5. The highest titers occurred in mute myeloid leukemia.

EBV antibody in monkeys and apes.

EBV antibody in monkeys and apes.

Infectious mononucleosis and other mono-like syndromes.

The etiologic role of EB virus in the pathogenesis of infectious mononucleosis has been strengthened by two recent large-scale prospective studies, one in the United States and the other in England.1 , 2 The results fully confirm previous observations made in Yale University students.3 4 5 6 7 In one study, as yet published only in abstract form, 800 Cornell students were investigated by Hirshaut et al.1 over a two-year period; 15 cases of clinical infectious mononucleosis occurred in the 200 students lacking EBV antibody, and none in those already possessing EBV antibody. In the other study, 1457 entering freshmen from six English universities and colleges . . .

The EB virus infection within families of cases of infectious mononucleosis

The incidence and rise of the EBV antibodies were measured by indirect immunofluorescence in 1033 sera from a group of 175 pediatric and older cases of infectious mononucleosis and from 344 family and social contacts. Cases of infectious mononucleosis with eleven exceptions were EBV seropositive in acute and/or convalescent sera. A rise in EBV antibodies of two dilutions or more was demonstrated in 23 of the 175 cases. The EBV antibody titres of mononucleosis sera were significantly higher than those of contanct's sera (P <p 0.01). The incidence of these antibodies in contacts reached 35 to 67% in four different age groups. A seroconversion was demonstrated in only 9 of 110 EBV negative family contacts and a significant antibody rise encountered in only 6 additional contacts giving an attack rate of less than 15%. Interinfection or interdisease periods varied from 1 week to 2 years. The infectivity of the EB virus and its horizontal trnasmission seem to be as low in nature as they appear to be experimentally in the laboratory. The epidemiological behaviour of the EB virus infection suggests that its relationship to infectious mononucleosis may be analogous to that of the V-Z virus to zoster.

Antibody to human cell lines with and without ultrastructural evidence for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in sera from patients with diverse viral illnesses.

AbstractOne hundred and sixteen pairs of acute and convalescent sera from patients with diverse viral illnesses were studied for Epstein‐Barr virus (EB V) antibody by an indirect immunofluorescent technique using as antigen cells of the EB‐3 cell line known to harbor EBV particles. Sera of 23 patients with atypical pneumonia associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae were investigated similarly. We found low titers of antibody in 90% of the cases but failed to detect any significant increase of antibody in the convalescent sera. These results do not support the suggestion that the development of EBV antibody observed in infectious mononucleosis is due to non‐specific effects such as proliferation of lymphoid cells.Subsequently, we reacted 31 sera with cells of four continuous cultures established from the buffy coat of patients with various types of leukemia (TU‐I through TU‐4). After repeated electron microscope examination, cells of these lines are known to be free of EBV particles, but harbor a tubular ultrastructure previously described by others in a variety of cell cultures. Although all 31 sera had reacted positively with EB‐3 cells, they failed to react with the TU cells. We interpreted this observation as indicating a lack of antigenic relationship between the tubular structures and EBV.

Induction of cellular DNA synthesis in human leukocytes by Epstein-Barr virus.

THE discovery of Epstein and Barr1 of an antigenically and biologically unique herpes-like virus (EBV) in cultured cells derived from Burkitt's lymphoma aroused much speculation regarding the possible aetiological role of this agent in human lymphoproliferative diseases. Serological and clinical data provided strong evidence for the causal relationship between EBV and infectious mononucleosis2. The case for the possible association of EBV with Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) rests mainly on the observation that patients with these diseases have significantly higher EBV antibody titres than matched controls from the same region3. Similar findings, however, were also reported in patients with sarcoidosis4 and systemic lupus erythematosus5.