[A senile case of B-cell lymphoma with high titers of an EB virus-associated antibodies].

An 83-year-old man suffering from general malaise and discomfort in the epigastrium was admitted to hospital. On testing, peripheral blood and bone marrow smears disclosed a number of abnormal lymphocytoid cells, and a CT and a linear echo scan revealed splenomegaly and a multiple intraperitoneal lymphadenopathy, although no superficial lymph nodes were palpable. Further, abnormal lymphocytoid cells were positive for B1, B4, OKIa1, Leu1, Tac, anti-IgM, anti-IgD, and anti-lambda. Thus, a diagnosis of malignant lymphoma of the intermediate B-cell type was made. Surprisingly, serological examination reveared extremely high titers of EB-virus associated antibodies (VCAIgG 20, 480x, VCAIgA 320x, EAIgG 2,560x), but no EBNA or virus particles were detected in the tumor cells, so that no direct relationship was established between the development of the tumor and the EBV infection.