Anti-F(ab')2 antibodies in thrombocytopenic patients at risk for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

22 homosexual or narcotic addict patients at risk for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or with AIDS, were studied for the presence of antiimmunoglobulin antibodies and circulating immune complexes (20 were thrombocytopenic, 6 had AIDS). Circulating immune complex levels were 10-fold higher than levels in normal subjects. IgG anti-F(ab')2 antibodies were noted in homosexual as well as narcotic addict patients. Of 16 homosexual patients, 7 had IgG anti-F(ab')2 antibody of moderate to marked titer with broad reactivity against autologous, homologous, and control F(ab')2 fragments. Three others demonstrated limited reactivity against one or two F(ab')2 fragments. The remaining six patients were negative. Six of six narcotic addict patients had IgG anti-F(ab')2 antibody, five with limited reactivity, one with broad reactivity. In contrast, neither elevated circulating immune complexes nor anti-F(ab')2 antibodies were detectable in six autoimmune thrombocytopenic patients. Anti-F(ab')2 antibody could be affinity purified from serum or circulating immune complexes. Anti-F(ab')2 reactivity correlated with circulating immune complex levels, r = 0.83, P less than 0.01.

Elevated levels of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus antigens in sera and synovial fluids of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The frequencies and levels of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific antigens were determined in paired sera and synovial fluids from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in sera from patients with other connective tissue diseases; i.e., systemic lupus erythematosus, progressive systemic sclerosis, and osteoarthritis (OA). The specimens were also tested for the presence of antibodies to RA-associated nuclear antigen. Compared to healthy controls, the patients' sera showed increased frequencies of elevated antibody titers (>/=320) to Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen, a correspondingly enhanced (twofold to threefold) geometric mean titer, and an increased frequency of antibodies at elevated titers (>/=10), usually to the restricted component and rarely the diffuse component of the early antigen complex. Levels of antibody to the EBV-associated nuclear antigen were within the normal range. Enhancement of antibody titers was more pronounced in seropositive RA patients (i.e., positive for rheumatoid factor) than in those who were not. Enhancement was also found in systemic lupus erythematosus and progressive systemic sclerosis. Antibody to RA-associated nuclear antigen was detected at an increased frequency only in the group of seropositive RA patients (90%), as compared to 8-15% in the other connective tissue diseases and 6-8% in healthy controls. The antibody titers in the synovial fluids equaled or were at most twofold higher or lower than those in the sera. In addition, levels of EBV-specific antibodies were studied serially over a period of 6-10 mo in patients with RA and OA. Parameters of disease activity were determined and compared to antibody levels. EBV-specific antibodies in sera of OA patients remained constant and within normal limits throughout the study. Although EBV-specific antibodies were often elevated in RA patients, they also remained constant, with the exception of three patients, who showed gradual increases in one of the four antibodies, which did not correlate with disease activity.

In vitro activation, infectivity, and production of endogenous type-C virus from OM rats.

T24C, a continuous cell line derived from the pooled thymic tissue of normal inbred OM rats, spontaneously produced type-C virus. The virus genome was expressed cyclically. The amount of RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (RDP) and the number of 1.14 g dense particles/ml fluctuated simultaneously with cultivation. The released virus, RPT24C, did not infect cell lines from the rat, mouse, dog, or human. T31, also a rat thymus line, during its 2.5 years of cultivation did not produce type-C virus. Cocultivation with potentially permissive lines did not rescue any virus. 5-lodo-2'-deoxyuridine treatments at earlier passages yielded negative results. Chemical treatment at passages 111, 116, 123, and 128 yielded varying amounts of 3H-uridine incorporation at a sucrose density of 1.14 g/ml. Enzyme assays on chemically treated T31 cultures tested at passage 111 showed a small but transient burst of RDP activity. T31-B, a subline of T31, which was frozen and thawed once, released rat type-C virus spontaneously at passage 56. Two additional sublines of T31 (NI-T31 and NII-T31) were maintained for 2.5 years in culture without any cell-dispersing treatment. NI-T31, but not NII-T31, spontaneously released type-C virus. Once induced, the type-C viruses from T31-B and NI-T31 were continuously produced.

Efficacy of desciclovir in the treatment of Epstein-Barr virus infection in oral hairy leukoplakia.

The efficacy of desciclovir, an analog of acyclovir, in eliminating lesions of oral hairy leukoplakia (HL) and suppressing Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection was evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 14 patients. Patients were randomized to receive either the active drug, 250 mg three times a day for 14 days, or placebo. In all eight patients receiving desciclovir, lesions of HL were either completely resolved or significantly reduced during the treatment period, whereas lesions in patients receiving placebo showed no change. The histological features of HL were significantly diminished in patients on desciclovir, and cytochemical, in situ hybridization, and ultrastructural studies showed that EBV infection was eliminated or dramatically reduced in the desciclovir group only. Four patients on desciclovir reported side effects, but none required withdrawal from the study. The reappearance of HL in all eight subjects on desciclovir within 1-4 months after therapy was discontinued suggests the need for additional study.

Antibodies to LMP2A/2B in EBV-carrying malignancies.

Antibodies to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded membrane proteins, LMP2A and LMP2B, were assayed in 540 individuals, including 154 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, 16 with African Burkitt's lymphoma, 113 with Hodgkin's disease, 14 with EBV-carrying gastric carcinoma, 14 with oral hairy leucoplakia (HIV+ patients), 37 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 49 with tumours of the head/neck, 19 with infectious mononucleosis, 62 with chronic illnesses with EBV titres consistent with re-activations, and 62 healthy controls. A novel assay, mouse monoclonal enhanced indirect immunofluorescence assay (MIFA) was designed and used to test the sera for antibodies to the LMP2A and 2B proteins, expressed in human keratinocytes. Antibody to both LMP2A and LMP2B was strikingly specific to NPC. Virtually all (99 of 101) of the LMP2 antibody positive individuals were NPC patients, 95% of whom had antibodies that reacted both with the LMP2A- and LMP2B-transfected indicator cells, while the remaining 5% reacted only with the LMP2B expressing cells.

Disease-related differences in antibody patterns against EBV-encoded nuclear antigens EBNA 1, EBNA 2 and EBNA 6.

Antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen family (EBNA) and three of its individual members, EBNA 1, EBNA 2 (A and B) and EBNA 6, were measured by anticomplement immunofluorescence (ACIF) in sera of 75 healthy controls, 13 patients with chronic EBV infection, 38 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), 23 with Hodgkin's disease (HD), 105 with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and 7 patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM). Their anti-EBV lytic antigens were also measured. We observed that: (1) anti-EBNA 2A and E6 rose in parallel 4-6 weeks after IM, followed by anti-EBNA 1 at 3-6 months, (2) all seropositive individuals had anti-EBNA 1; 74% also had anti-EBNA 2A and E6, (3) anti-EBNA 1 accounted for most of the anti-EBNA reactivity in non-IM sera. Striking disease-associated differences were noted on the humoral responses to the lytic and transformation-associated antigens. Compared to the controls, anti-EBNA 1, -EBNA 2A and -EBNA 6 were simultaneously four to 10 times higher in chronic reactivations, whereas only anti-EBNA 1 was elevated (10 times) in NPC. Individual EBNA titres were normal in NHL or HD patients.

An increased incidence of Epstein-Barr virus infection and lymphoproliferative disorder in young children on FK506 after liver transplantation.

The incidence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and lymphoproliferative disorder (LPD) was determined in a pediatric liver transplant population consisting of 51 children treated with FK506 and 91 treated with cyclosporine. The incidence of symptomatic EBV infection was 21.9% (23 of 105 cases) in children < 5 yr old and 10.8% (4 of 37 cases) in children 5 to 17 yr old as compared with 2.7% (9 of 323 cases) in adults (P < 0.0001). In the under 5 yr old group on cyclosporine, the incidences of EBV infection and LPD were 9 of 68 (13.2%) and 2 of 68 children, (2.9%), respectively. In contrast, in children under 5 yr old group on FK506, the incidences of EBV infection and LPD in the FK506 group were 14 of 37 (37.8%) and 7 of 37 children (18.9%), respectively. The difference between these two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.02). There were no cases of LPD in the 5-17 yr-old children on either cyclosporine (n = 23) or FK506 (n = 14). The incidence of EBV infections in the 5 to 17 yr age group, 17.4% on cyclosporine and 0% on FK506, was less than for the younger children on FK506 (37.8%). A total of 39% (9 of 23) of children under 5 yr old who had symptomatic EBV infections developed LPD, and 44% (4 of 9) with LPD died. The higher incidence of EBV infections and LPD in the younger children treated with FK506 was probably related to a greater intensity of immunosuppression for patients on FK506 than those on cyclosporine.

Serologic prevalence of antibody to human herpesvirus type 8 in patients with various monoclonal gammopathies.

Both viral and serologic studies have consistently shown an association of human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) with Kaposi's sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and Castleman's disease. The presence of HHV-8 DNA in patients with myeloma has been reported by some investigators but not substantiated by others. In addition, variable results have been obtained with serologic studies for HHV-8 in patients with myeloma and certain other monoclonal gammopathies (MG). We tested 238 coded serum or plasma samples from 96 patients with various MG for antibodies to lytic and latent HHV-8 antigens by indirect immunofluorescence. Thirty-four of 96 (35%) patients were positive for the lytic antibody, but none were positive for the latent antibody. Patients with kappa or lambda light chain myeloma were often positive for the lytic antibody when compared to patients with IgG or IgA myeloma (8 of 11 [73%] vs. 12 of 38 [32%], P = 0.033). The patients with light chain myeloma also were more likely to be positive when compared to patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM) (4 of 15 [27%], P = 0.045) or AL amyloidosis (4 of 13 [31%], P = 0.047). Four of 9 (44%) patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) were positive. However, 4 other patients who progressed from MGUS to myeloma were negative. Subgroup analysis of MG may help clarify the role of HHV-8 in these disorders.

Acarologic risk of exposure to emerging tick-borne bacterial pathogens in a semirural community in northern California.

An acarologic study was conducted in a semirural community in northern California to determine the relative abundance of, and the prevalence of infection with, three emerging bacterial pathogens in the western black-legged tick (Ixodes pacificus). These included the agents causing Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), human granulocytic ehrlichiosis [Ehrlichia phagocytophila (formerly Ehrlichia equi)], and human monocytic ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia chaffeensis). The study area in Sonoma County consisted of two properties each with four residents and an uninhabited adjacent comparison area. Six of the eight residents had been either physician-diagnosed or serodiagnosed previously with Lyme disease, and, of these, one also had been serodiagnosed with human monocytic ehrlichiosis. Direct immunofluorescent/culture assays and bacterial species-specific polymerase chain reaction assays were used to test whole ticks individually for presence of B. burgdorferi and Ehrlichia spp., respectively. Overall, 6.5% of the nymphal (n = 589) and 1.6% of the adult ticks (n = 318) from the same generational cohort were found to contain B. burgdorferi. In contrast, none of 465 nymphs and 9.9% of 202 adults were infected with E. phagocytophila. Excised tissues from another 95 adult ticks yielded a comparable E. phagocytophila infection prevalence of 13.7%. E. chaffeensis was not detected in either nymphal or adult ticks. Using a combination of culture and polymerase chain reaction assays, coinfection of I. pacificus adults with B. burgdorferi and E. phagocytophila was demonstrated for the first time. The marked disparity in the infection prevalence of these pathogens in nymphal and adult ticks suggests that their maintenance cycles are inherently different.

Epstein-Barr virus serology and gastric cancer incidence and survival.

Among 185 cases of gastric cancer and 200 controls in Linxian, China, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) seropositivity was not associated with increased risk of gastric cancer. High EBV nuclear antigen titres were associated with longer survival in cardia cancer cases, possibly due to chance.

Viral studies on human brain culture retrieved from cold storage.

Tissue cultures established from brain tissues of six patients with various chronic, degenerative diseases did not show evidence of viral agents. Sucrose gradient analysis of radioactively labeled culture fluid from two patients failed to reveal the presence of any incomplete or defective virus. Extracellular fluids from three brain cultures contained a factor able to stimulate deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis of Vero cells.

Immune adherence hemagglutination: alternative to complement-fixation serology.

Immune adherence hemagglutination (IAHA) was compared to complement fixation (CF), using standard procedures, for serological testing of human sera with a number of commercially available antigens. The antigens included herpes simplex, measles, cytomegalo-, and influenza (type B) viruses, as well as Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia psittaci (Chlamydia group). The IAHA test was found to be as specific as the CF test, but 4 to 20 times as sensitive with all antigens tested. Antigen titers were also higher with the IAHA method, and the time required to complete the test was only 4 h for the IAHA method, compared with 20 h for the CF method. The increased sensitivity of the IAHA test should permit its use for determination of immunity, as well as for serodiagnosis of recent infections.

Genetic analysis of an Escherichia coli syndrome.

A mutant strain of Escherichia coli that fails to recover from prolonged (72 hr) starvation also fails to grow at 43 C. Extracts of this mutant strain show an increased ribonuclease II activity as compared to extracts of the parental strain, and stable ribonucleic acid is degraded to a larger extent in this strain during starvation. Ts(+) transductants and revertants were tested for all the above-mentioned phenotypes. All the Ts(+) transductants and revertants tested behaved like the Ts(+) parental strain, which suggests that all the observed phenotypes are caused by a single sts (starvation-temperature sensitivity) mutation. The reversion rate from sts(-) to sts(+) is rather low but is within the range of reversion rates for other single-site mutations. Three-point transduction crosses located this sts mutation between the ilv and rbs genes. The properties of sts(+)/sts(-) merozygotes suggested that the Ts(-) phenotype of this mutation is recessive.

Indirect immunofluorescence assay for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus.

We compared an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) with a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) screening procedure for the detection of antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The IFA assay was as sensitive and specific as the ELISA. No false results were observed with IFA on single testing of 181 sera, while the ELISA produced five false-positive results which required retesting for resolution. In addition, the IFA was suitable for quantitation of anti-HIV responses. The IFA was superior to the ELISA for its reliability, simplicity, and rapidity in the diagnostic laboratory.

Antibodies to human herpesvirus type 8 in the general population and in Kaposi's sarcoma patients.

BACKGROUND: Much of the evidence that human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) is associated with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) has come from molecular studies of HHV-8 DNA. Seroepidemiological studies have been hampered by the lack of a reliable assay. METHODS: The serological data reported here were obtained by means of a mouse monoclonal antibody-enhanced immunofluorescence assay for antibodies to lytic and latent HHV-8 antigens. 1435 single samples of serum (or plasma) from many different disease groups and parts of the world were assayed. FINDINGS: All patients with African endemic KS and 96% of American patients with AIDS-associated KS were seropositive for lytic antigen, as were 90% of American HIV-infected homosexual men; by contrast only 23% of HIV-seropositive drug users and 21% of HIV-seropositive women were positive for HHV-8 antibody. Factor VIII treatment before 1983 did not increase the risk of HHV-8 infection in patients with haemophilia. In the American general population, about 25% of adults (including volunteer blood donors) and 2-8% of children had antibodies to HHV-8. INTERPRETATION: Our data are consistent with HHV-8 being primarily associated with sexual transmission, but the HHV-8 seropositivity rate in American children suggests that there is a non-sexual route of HHV-8 infection also. On the evidence available so far, the risk of parenteral transmission is low.

Leukocyte response in childhood infectious mononucleosis. Caused by Epstein-Barr virus.

The usual leukocyte response in infectious mononucleosis (IM) has been established in adults but not in children. Previously, the diagnosis of IM often was difficult in childhood due to the lack of detectable heterophil antibody response in many patients. Using Epstein-Barr virus-specific serology, we have documented IM in 45 patients between 1 and 15 years of age. the mean and ranges for the total leukocytes, percent lymphocytes, and percent atypical lymphocytes are presented. These do not vary significantly with age and are similar to those reported for adolescents and adults with this illness.

Detection of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen by immune adherence hemagglutination.

The immune adherence hemagglutination assay was found to be as sensitive and specific as the indirect immunofluorescence technique for titration of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen. Satisfactory virus capsid antigen-specific and negative control antigens for the immune adherence hemagglutination assay were prepared from cell extracts of the Epstein-Barr virus producer P3HR-1 and the Epstein-Barr virus genome-negative BJAB lymphoblastoid cell lines, respectively. As the immune adherence hemagglutination assay can be used to titrate antibodies to both the heterophil antigen of the Paul-Bunnell type and to virus capsid antigen, it offers a promising alternative to the immunofluorescence methods in the serodiagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus infections which can be performed by most diagnostic laboratories.