Antibodies to Mycoplasma in Sera of Leukemic Patients. ∗

Summary

Studies were done to test whether virus neutralization technics were useful for detecting antibodies in patients' sera that prevented the growth and cytopathic effect (CPE) of mycoplasma isolated from bone marrow specimens of leukemic and non-leukemic patients. A standard virus neutralization technic was satisfactory for special laboratory studies but unsatisfactory for large-scale serologic surveys. Sera from leukemic and nonleukemic patients prevented mycoplasma CPE and growth. Evidence was presented that the CPE neutralizing serum component was complement-dependent, appears to have a seasonal occurrence, and may be a “normal serum antibody.” Sera from children and adults with leukemia about twice as frequently neutralized mycoplasma CPE as sera from normal controls. No correlative pattern was observed between clinical stage of leukemia, chemotherapy, and occurrence of “antibodies” to the test mycoplasma. The problem of interpreting such results was discussed.