Patent ID: 7192715

Claim:
A method for determining that an individual has or may develop Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)-induced systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) comprising screening antibodies obtained from individual's serum for reactivity with antigen epitopes of peptide molecules PPPGRRP (SEQ ID NO:1), GRGRGRGG (SEQ ID NO:2), RGRGREK (SEQ ID NO:3), PPPGMRPP (SEQ ID NO:4), PPPGIRGP (SEQ ID NO:5) and GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA (SEQ ID NO:7), wherein the peptides are present either in free form or bound to a carrier molecule, wherein the presence of antibodies that bind only the antigen epitopes of SEQ ID NOS:2–5 indicates that the individual has or may develop EBV-induced SLE, and wherein the presence of antibodies that only bind the antigen epitope of SEQ ID NO:7 indicates that the individual does not have or may not develop EBV-induced SLE.