Leukocyte migration inhibition with Epstein-Barr virus negative and positive cell extracts.

Leukocyte migration inhibition of seronegative and seropositive healthy children and that of patients with infectious mononucleosis was studied in the presence of EBV-negative and -positive cell extracts. Seronegative children showed no alteration of the leukocyte migration in the presence of the extracts. EBV-positive cell extracts caused significant migration inhibition in the group of seropositive healthy children and of IM patients. The effect was specific, since the EBV-negative cell extract had no inhibitory effect. In the acute phase of infectious mononucleosis a depressed response was observed, while after recovery the same migration inhibition could be detected. The possible cause of the depressed cell-mediated immune response in the acute phase of the disease is discussed.