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The presence of antibodies to the virus capsid antigen of the Epstein-Barr virus was established in the sera of children from different forms of neoplasms with the aid of the indirect method of immunofluorescence according to Henle. 69 sera were studied from children with Wilm's tumor, teratoblastoma, reticulosarcoma, neuroblastoma, sarcoma and also from children with benignant tumors. As control served sera from healthy children of corresponding age. As test cells synthesizing the virus capsid antigen the authors utilized a suspension culture of P3HR-I cells, being one of the clones of Burkitt's lymphoma. The performed investigations have shown that in no one group of children with tumor could there be discovered an increase in the content of antibodies to the Epstein-Barr virus in comparison to controls. It has also been revealed that the spread of the Epstein-Barr virus in different groups of patients and healthy children fluctuated between 83 and 100%.

By the method of indirect immunofluorescence it has been shown in P3HR-I cells that sera from patients with Hodgkin's disease contain high titers of humoral antibodies to the capsid antigen of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Higher titers of antibodies of EBV were found in histological variants of Hodgkin's disease with an unfavorable course. The variant of lymphocyte depletion is accomplished by higher titers of the virus and poorer prognosis than the nodular-sclerotic variant having a course with lower titers of antibodies and better prognosis. At the same time, the level of antibodies does not depend on the results of the therapy applied. In the sera of patients with reticulosarcoma or lymphosarcoma no increase in the level of antibodies to EBV has been discovered in comparison with a group of healthy donors; in acute leukemia a certain tendency to decrease in the level of antibodies to this virus can be observed.