[Antibody formation against specific Epstein-Barr virus antigens in infectious mononucleosis with tonsillectomy in the acute phase of the disease].

In the present study, the clinical course and the specific humoral immunological response to Epstein-Barr virus antigens have been investigated in patients affected with infectious mononucleosis after tonsillectomy in the acute phase of the disease, compared against conservatively treated patients. Clinical results confirm that tonsillectomy in the acute phase of infectious mononucleosis has a favourable effect on the course of the disease, and reduces the duration of the disease by about half of the usual time. Statistically significant differences - indicating a confined, delayed humoral immunological response or unresponsiveness to some extent - regarding the examined antigens after tonsillectomy in the acute phase of infectious mononucleosis, could be observed between the two groups of patients in respect of the production of antibodies against viral capsid and nuclear antigens of the Epstein-Barr virus and heterophilic antibodies. For this reason, tonsillectomy should be suggested only as therapy of infectious mononucleosis in anginous courses of the disease which appear life-threatening.