title: Malaria antibody levels in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: The antibody titres to P. falciparum and Epstein-Barr Virus-associated antigens were assayed in 22 patients with NPC and 43 controls. All, but one patient had antimalarial titres; 14 had titres greater than 80 and 4 patients greater than 640. Compared to controls the mean anti-malarial titre for most age groups were higher in the patients. Those patients with high anti-malarial titres also had high IgA anti-VCA titre, an antibody which has been demonstrated to be diagnostic for NPC. The peak anti-VCA (IgG) and anti-EA (IgG) antibody titres were associated with anti-falciparum titres of 320-640 and 80-160, respectively. The results are discussed in relation to the possible association between malarial infection and etiology of NPC.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002213:Capsid / Q000276:immunology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; C033305:Epstein-Barr virus early antigen; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G