Herpesvirus antibodies and antigens in patients with cervical anaplasia and in controls

Antibody activity to herpesvirus hominis type 2 (HVH-2) in 151 women cured of cervical carcinoma (60 in situ, 91 invasive) and in 106 controls differed significantly, especially between the in situ (73%) and control (17%) groups. Sera of 57 patients with cervical atypia showed an increased antibody activity to HVH-2 (58%), compared with that of the 57 matched controls (23%). Antibodies to cytomegalovirus (CMV) were detected more frequently in sera of women with atypia (61%) than in sera of women with cervical disorders other than atypia (42%) or in sera of healthy controls (33%). HVH antigens were present in cervical cells from patients with atypia and from matched controls. Not only exfoliated (imprints) but also cultured and cocultured cervical cells contained HVH antigens; there was no correlation between antigen positivity and antibody activity to HVH-2. Our data further supported the association between HVH-2 and cervical anaplasia and indicated that CMV may also be implicated in its etiology.