Complement-Fixing and Fluorescent Antibodies in Diagnosis of E.B.-VIRUS Infections

Asymptomatic infection with EB virus

“…The proportion of positive sera and the mean complement-fixing antibody levels rose with age, indicating that EB virus infection was active in this group and that 'past infections' were probably in the recent past. We have previously observed ) that in active infectious mononucleosis soluble complement-fixing antibodies to the EB virus apparently develop slowly unlike the VCA antibodies, and we have suggested (Sutton, Almond, Marston, and Emond, 1971) that this disparity could be used as the basis of a diagnostic test. In the present group of healthy medical students and nurses, this pattern was observed in about one quarter, indicating recent infection with the EB virus in these subjects.…”

Aspects of Epstein-Barr virus infection in childhood

“…Unfortunately, neither the cells in the peripheral blood, are mainstays in the recovery of the virus in susceptible cells achieved by several groups of workers (Pereira et al, 1972;Gerber et al, 1972;Chang and Golden, 1971;Miller, Niederman, and Andrews, 1973) nor the detection of specific EB virus IgM antibody (indicating recent infection) described by Banatvala, Best, and Waller (1972) are procedures which can readily be applied on a large scale. The disparity which we have observed between the rates of development of EB complement fixing and virus capsid antigen antibodies (Sutton et al, 1971;Sutton et al, 1973) (Vahlquist et al, 1958). In these patients with anomalous results, the clinical picture in most cases comprised features commonly associated with infectious mononucleosis (tonsillitis, abnormal peripheral leucocytes, hepatitis).…”

The EB virus in relation to infectious mononucleosis

“…In 224 medical students and Africa, West Indies, Asia 1 23 (95%) Europe, North America 80 144 (64%) p = 0-0006 (exact test) Table II EB complement-fixing antibodies in nurses and medical students nurses born in Europe or North America there was a significant association between a history of infectious mononucleosis and the presence of complementfixing antibodies (Table III) admitted to hospital with infectious mononucleosis, compared with 88 patients admitted to the same hospital with other conditions, there was a significant association between low levels of complement-fixing antibodies and active infectious mononucleosis (Table IV). These patients slowly developed antibodies and, when tested some months later, almost all had acquired high levels (Table V) x2 = 13-9 p= <0-001 Unlike the VCA antibodies, soluble complementfixing antibodies to the EB virus develop slowly after the onset of illness and there is some evidence (Sutton, Almond, Marston, and Emond, 1971) that the combined use of these tests could form the basis for a differential test for recent or remote infection ( Precipitating antibodies to EB virus antigens have been described by several groups (Old, Boyse, Oettgen, De Harven, Geering, Williamson, and Clifford, 1966;Fink and Cowles, 1968;Stevens, Pry, and Blackham, 1970). Old and his colleagues, using an antigen prepared from sonicated cells and a standard Ouchterlony technique, detected such antibodies in about 50 % of patients with Burkitt tumour and in a low proportion (1 of 17) of patients with infectious mononucleosis.…”