Epidemiologic Evidence for Transmission of Hodgkin's Disease

Abstract

To evaluate the possible role of horizontal transmission in Hodgkin's disease, we tested the hypothesis that where a case had occurred in a teacher or student from 1960 through 1970, more than the expected number of additional cases would appear among teachers and students who attended the same school. Two objective epidemiologic approaches (two-time period and index-secondary) were applied. Five of the eight secondary public schools with cases diagnosed during the 1960–1964 time period had other cases diagnosed during the years 1965–1969. In contrast none of the matched control schools had cases in the latter period. Schools with index cases had a significantly higher than expected number of secondary cases. The results of both analyses support the concept that some form of transmission may be important in the occurrence of Hodgkin's disease. (N Engl J Med 289:499–502, 1973)