Immune reactions in epidermodysplasia verruciformis

Abstract

Serum antibodies against human papilloma virus [HPV] were measured using immunodiffusion and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 12 patients with epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV). The results were compared with those from 66 patients with other types of human papilloma virus diseases. Antibody prevalences were slightly lower in patients with EV than in the control patients. More remarkable was the difference between EV patients and control subjects in tests of non-specific cell-mediated immunity, which was markedly depressed in the majority of patients with EV, but preserved in patients with common warts. No specific immunological parameter was associated with malignant conversion of EV lesions, but malignancy was linked to the character of the inducing virus, and particularly to HPV type 5.