Herpesvirus group antibodies in children with Hodgkin's disease.

During the period of three years ((1972-1974), serum samples from 60 patients (children and adolescents) with lympho-hematopoietic system diseases were examined for antibodies to all four human herpesviruses. Among these were 26 active Hodgkin's disease (AHD) patients and 6 HD patients with a minimum five years' remission. Simultaneously matched controls (age, sex) of AHD patients were examined. Antibody levels against the viral capsid antigen of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV/VCA) in AHD patients were significantly higher, with overrepresentation of higher titres (greater than or equal to 1:160), than in matched controls. The lowest EBV/VCA antibody titres were in the leukemia-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients. We could not prove any significant relationship between cytomegalovirus or herpes simplex virus type 1 antibody titres and AHD or any other disease of lympho-hematopoietic system. The varicella-zoster virus antibody titres in AHD patients were significantly higher than in matched controls. No significant differences in antibodies against EBV/VCA and the other human herpes viruses between the evolution and remission period of AHD patients could be detected. No differences in EBV/VCA antibody titres were observed between the healthy school-children aged 10 to 15 years who were and who were not in contact with a HD patient.