SEX DIFFERENCE IN THE SEROSTATUS OF ADULTS TO THE EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS

A total of 1047 adults, aged between 18 and 90 years, including blood donors and surgical patients of the Medical University of Lubeck in Ge rmany, were screened for IgG antibodies to the Epstein-Barr Virus, eit her by standard indirect immunofluorescence or by a novel enzyme-linke d immunosorbent assay (Enzygnost Anti-EBV/IgG, Behring, Marburg, Germa ny). There was a significant sex difference in the serostatus to the E pstein-Barr virus in adults. Male adults were more likely than females (p < 1%) to be EBV-seronegative. The same trend was seen in both a gr oup of 713 blood donors and 334 surgical patients and when different t est methods were used. However, this sex difference was ndt shown in t he sera of 86 pediatric patients of the Medical University of Lubeck t ested by indirect immunofluorescence for IgG antibodies to the Epstein -Barr virus. Furthermore, titers of IgG antibodies to Epstein-Barr vir us specific antigens of female adults, obtained by the enzyme-linked i mmunosorbent assay (Enzygnost Anti-EBV/IgG), had significantly higher median values than male adults (p < 5%).