title: Early antigen titers in pediatric patients with acute cervical lymphadenitis.
abstract: Eight pediatric patients with acute cervical lymphadenitis or neck mass, alone or in association with nonspecific upper respiratory complaints, were screened for the presence of a primary or reactivation Epstein-Barr virus infection. All were found to have elevated antibodies to the early antigen (EA) and 75% (6) of these were found to be reactivations. Only one had a positive heterophile. Half of the patients had elevation of the EA-specific IgA, and 75% (6) had elevation of viral capsid antigen-specific IgA. All had elevated levels of soluble immune complexes. There was not a direct relationship between the EA titer or soluble immune complex level and severity of disease.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002213:Capsid / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M