Epstein‐barr virus (EBV)‐associated antibody patterns in malignant lymphoma and leukemia. II. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia and lymphocytic lymphoma

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Abstract
Sera from Swedish patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and lymphocytic lymphona (LL) were titrated for antibodies to viral capsid antigens (VCA) of the Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) by the indirect immunofluorescence technique and to EBV‐determined cell membrane antigens by blocking of direct cell membrane immunofluorescence (BI). Previously tested sera from healthy Swedish donors served as controls. While 40% of the sera from CLL patients showed relatively high serological reactivities, the mean anti‐VCA and BI values did not differ significantly from the control group. The LL group of sera showed significantly higher reactivities than the controls. The most highly reactive sera were found in patients with poorly differentiated LL at frequencies and with mean values approaching those seen in Burkitt's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and Hodgkin's sarcoma.