ANTI-EBNA1 ANTI-EBNA2 RATIO DECREASES SIGNIFICANTLY IN PATIENTS WITH PROGRESSION OF HIV-INFECTION/

Reactivation of EBV infection is common in immunocompromised individua ls. We determined specific antibodies to EBV-encoded nuclear antigens (EBNA) 1 and 2 in 102 sera of HIV-infected individuals. Anti-EBNA1/ant iEBNA2 ratio (E1/E2) is less than 1 in chronic infection and exceeds 1 in healthy EBV-positive carriers. 52% of cases had E1/E2 < 1. E1/E2 d ecreased remarkably during the progression of HIV infection. Detectabl e HIV-Antigen, decline of CD4+ cell count and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were cor related with an increasing prevalence of E1/E2 below 1. We conclude th at determination of E1/E2 is useful in immunocompromised patients.