EnzymeimmunoassayforthequalitativedeterminationofIgAclassantibodiesagainstEpstein-Barrvirusviralcapsidantigen(VCA)inhumanserumorplasma(citrate,heparin).Epstein-BarrVirus(EBV)isamemberoftheherpesvirusfamily(Gammasubgroup,DNAvirusof120-200nm)andoneofthemostcommonhumanviruses.Thevirusoccursworldwide,andmostpeoplebecomeinfectedwithEBVsometimeduringtheirlives.TransmissionofthevirusisalmostimpossIBLetopreventsincemanyhealthypeoplecancarryandspreadthevirusintermittentlyforlife.InfantsbecomesusceptibletoEBVassoonasmaternalantibodyprotectiondisappears.Infectionofchildrenusuallycausesnosymptoms.Infectionduringadolescenceoryoungadulthoodcausesinfectiousmononucleosis35%to50%ofthetime.Infectiousmononucleosisisalmostneverfatal.TherearenoknownassociationsbetweenactiveEBVinfectionandproblemsduringpregnancy,suchasmiscarriagesorbirthdefects.Althoughthesymptomsofinfectiousmononucleosisusuallyresolvein1or2months,EBVremainsdormantorlatentinafewcellsinthethroatandbloodfortherestoftheperson’slife.Periodically,theviruscanreactivateandiscommonlyfoundinthesalivaofinfectedpersons.Thisreactivationusuallyoccurswithoutsymptomsofillness.EBValsoestablishesalifelongdormantinfectioninsomecellsofthebody’simmunesystem.AlateeventinaveryfewcarriersofthisvirusistheemergenceofBurkitt´slymphomaandnasopharyngealcarcinoma,butEBVisprobablynotthesolecauseofthesemalignancies.