# EPIDEMIOLOGY OF LYMPHOMAS IN UNIQUE EXPOSURE GROUP

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 1987 · $77,566

## Abstract

We propose a comprehensive epidemiologic and laboratory investigation of an
aggregate of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas related to a common source exposure to
a visitor from Africa who had had an illness which was possibly infectious
mononucleosis.  Our preliminary investigation uncovered the occurrence of
one Burkitt's lymphoma and three other non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in a group
of eleven persons closely exposed to the African visitor.  The visitor
became ill with sore throat and malaise prior to her departure from
Africa.  Her illness persisted during much of her stay in the U.S.  Six to
eleven months after her visit, one white, adult member of each of the four
households in which she had resided developed a non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  One
patient had extremely high titers of antibodies agains EBV with evidence of
recent infection.  Two of the seven non-affected but exposed individuals
had elevated EBV antibody titers suggestive of recent infection.  Both are
spouses of the lymphoma patients.  Two of the patients (and the visitor)
are genetically unrelated.  A close friend of one lymphoma patient also had
frequent contact with the visitor.  She also has high titers of
EBV-antibodies with evidence of recent infection.  She has an enlarged
posterior cervical node.

We will expand our epidemiologic investigations to identify any further
contacts, to attempt to quantify the levels of exposure to the carrier and
to explore potential means of EBV transmission.  We propose to do further
laboratory studies on the cohort of exposed individuals.  We plan to obtain
fresh turmor tissue during relapse for characterization as to T or B-cell
origin, for study of EBV-DNA by DNA hybridization techniques and for
genetic studies to detect the presence of chromosomal translocations.  We
will attempt to establish cell lines from the patient's peripheral blood
for EBV studies an to maintain tumor cell lines in culture.  We will also
test for oropharyngeal EBV excretion in throat washings obtained from the
patients and the carrier.  We will continue to obtain serial serum samples
from the cohort to observe the progression of EBV antibody titers over
time.  We will also obtain serum samples from the carrier and her close
contacts in Africa.

Thus far, our research suggests a relatively short latency period between
exposure and a transmissible agent, probably the EBV, and the development
of lymphomas.  Additionally, this investigation suggests that a spectrum of
non-Hodgkin's lymphomas may be etiologically related to the EBV.  Further
investigation of this exposure aggregate should provide extremely valuable
new information on the causation of human lymphomas.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3177901
- **Project number:** 7R01CA039163-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **SAM.gov UEI:** MKAGLD59JRL1
- **Principal Investigator:** Seymour Grufferman
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $77,566
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 1987-07-01 → 1988-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3177901

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3177901, EPIDEMIOLOGY OF LYMPHOMAS IN UNIQUE EXPOSURE GROUP (7R01CA039163-02). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3177901. Licensed CC0.

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