Prevalence, Incidence and Persistence of EB Virus Antibody in Young Adults

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Abstract
The prevalence rate for antibody to EB virus measured by the indirect immunofluorescence technic in 1084 young adults varied from 26 to 87 per cent depending on age and geographic area. In a prospective study of 150 Yale students 53 had EBV antibody on entry into college; 43 of 97 students lacking antibody had seroconversion during the next four to eight years, 28 with recognized clinical infectious mononucleosis and 15 with inapparent or unrecognized illness. This was an infection rate of 11.1 per cent per year in the susceptible group. Of 164 Peace Corps volunteers 76 per cent had detectable anti-EBV titers on entrance into service, and of 30 lacking antibody 27 per cent were infected over one year while working in Colombia, South America. In Yale students EBV antibody was always present in serum specimens obtained as long as eight years after clinical or subclinical infection, usually at levels of 1:40 or higher.