Polyclonal Activation of B Cells in Homosexual Men

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Abstract
To the Editor: The article by Lane et al.1 and the letters written in response to it2 , 3 discuss the cause of the polyclonal activation of B cells seen in homosexual men with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the unexplained lymphadenopathy syndrome. Epstein–Barr virus has been implicated because these patients are seropositive for antibodies to Epstein–Barr viral antigens, the majority have reactivated infection, and Epstein–Barr virus causes polyclonal activation of B cells in vivo during primary infection4 and in vitro.5 We have studied a group of 25 homosexual men in London and found reactivation of Epstein–Barr viral infection (high-titer antibodies . . .