Hodgkin disease occurring in a patient with extremely high serum antibody titers to Epstein-Barr virus--associated antigens without chronic illness.
OBJECTIVE
We described for the first time a patient with long-lasting, extremely high serum antibody titer against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral capsid antigen and early antigen without clinical symptoms suggestive of active EBV infection; the patient finally developed Hodgkin disease (HD) after 7 years of follow-up.


METHODS
High serum EBV antibody titers were noted at 2 years of age. Immunological evaluation was performed at the age of 7 years. EBV-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activity was normal. None of the other results showed any significant abnormalities except for the abnormal antibody titers against EBV-associated antigens.


RESULTS
The patient developed HD at the age of 9 years. In addition, EBV genomes were found in the nuclei of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells in the lymph node.


CONCLUSIONS
This case suggests that (a) a patient with extremely high serum antibody titers against EBV-associated antigens may develop HD after a prolonged period, even though no clinical symptom suggestive of active EBV infection is observed; (b) EBV may play an important role in the occurrence of HD.
Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical College, Hokkaido, Japan.
H
H
Azuma
Y
Y
Sakata
K
K
Sasaki
T
T
Oka
T
T
Hironaka
K
K
Hirai
S
S
Imai
T
T
Osato
A
A
Okuno
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; D013997:Time Factors; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; C041788:Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen; D012367:RNA, Viral