Presence of elevated antibody titres to Epstein-Barr virus before Hodgkin's disease.
Sera taken 12 and 21 months before the diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease in two patients showed higher antibody levels to several Epstein-Barr-virus (EBV) antigens than did sera from eight matched controls. In one case the titres of all EB antibodies except that to nuclear antigen were raised in a serum sample obtained 45 months after the diagnosis was made. Antibody levels to herpes simplex, cytomegalovirus, and varicella zoster viruses were normal in both cases. A third patient with histiocytic lymphoma had normal EBV and other herpes antibody titres in a serum sample taken 40 months before diagnosis.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
D000914:Antibodies, Viral