Sarcoidosis, Another Disease Associated with Serologic Evidence for Herpes-like Virus Infection

The herpes-like virus (HLV, and also EBV), first detected in lymphoid cell cultures derived from Burkitt tumor, has been suggested as the etiologic agent of infectious mononucleosis, and has been suspected of playing a part in the pathogenesis of African Burkitt lymphoma and carcinoma of the posterior nasal space. Most of the evidence for these associations between virus and disease has come from seroepidemiologic data. Our study of serums from 131 patients with sarcoidosis indicates that all have antibody to HLV and in 79 per cent the titers were 1:640 or higher. This contrasts with a 76 per cent prevalence of antibody in a control group with considerably lower titers. Sarcoidosis, therefore, is the fourth disease to be linked serologically with HLV infection. Since four diseases have now been associated with infection by the same virus, any conclusions regarding the pathogenic role of HLV in any given condition must be made cautiously.