[The humoral immune response to Epstein-Barr virus in rheumatoid arthritis]

Antibodies to EB virus capsid antigen were assayed for by means of indirect immunofluorescence technique in the serum of 72 rheumatoid arthritis patients; the synovial fluid was tested in parallel with the serum in 18 of these patients. An authentic increase in antibody levels was revealed, as compared to healthy individuals, which is evidence of latent infection activation by EB virus. There was no correlation between the degree to which this activation was pronounced, the rheumatoid factor level in the serum and synovial fluid, and the signs of systemic disease. Half of the rheumatoid synovitis patients were found to have an authentic prevalence of antiviral antibody level in the synovial fluid over that in the serum.