title: Anti-EBNA1/anti-EBNA2 ratio decreases significantly in patients with progression of HIV infection.
abstract: Reactivation of EBV infection is common in immunocompromised individuals. We determined specific antibodies to EBV-encoded nuclear antigens (EBNA)1 and 2 in 102 sera of HIV-infected individuals. Anti-EBNA1/anti-EBNA2 ratio (E1/E2) is less than 1 in chronic infection and exceeds 1 in healthy EBV-positive carriers. 52% of cases had E1/E2 < 1. E1/E2 decreased remarkably during the progression of HIV infection. Detectable HIV-Antigen, decline of CD4+ cell count and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were correlated with an increasing prevalence of E1/E2 below 1. We conclude that determination of E1/E2 is useful in immunocompromised patients.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Innere Medizin IV, Universitätskliniken des Saarlandes, Homburg/Saar, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Winkelspecht
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grässer
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Pees
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mueller-Lantzsch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens