Asymptomatic infection with EB virus.

Evidence of asymptomatic EB virus infection was sought in healthy medical students and nurses following the observation that 1.4% possessed heterophile antibodies. The proportion of subjects with EB virus antibodies rose with age and there was evidence of recent infection in 19%. Smooth muscle antibodies were detected in 13 individuals and recent infection with EB virus was probable in six of these. Subclinical EB virus infections, in some cases associated with some disturbance of immunological function, may therefore be not uncommon in young adults.