objective:to detect the serum epstain-barr virus(ebv)latent membrane protein 1(lmp1)antibody and to appraise its clinical significance in patients with nasal polyps. methods:there were 20 patients with nasal polyps who were managed by functional endoscopic sinus surgery(fess) in experimental group,20 cases of healthy volunteers in control group. the anti-lmp1 antibody in sera of two groups before operation and 15,30,90,180 days after operation were detected by elisa and western blot using glutathione-ebv-lmp1 extracellular domain fusion protein(gst-lmp1)as the antigen. results:the average levels of serum anti-ebv-lmp1 antibody displayed by absorbance of elisa in nasal polyps group and control group were significantly different(0.976±0.131 vs. 0.400±0.102,p < 0.01). the levels of anti-ebv-lmp1 antibody in the patients with nasal polyps before operation and 15,30,90 and 180 days after surgery were 0.976±0.131,0.921±0.138,0.899±0.168,0.576±0.144 and 0.521±0.117,respectively. the anti-ebv-lmp1 levels in sera of patients with nasal polyp decreased significantly in postoperative day 90 and 180 compared with those before operation(p < 0.01),but there was no significant difference among the levels before operation and in postoperative day 15 and 30. western blot also showed the same changes. conclusion:nasal polyp may be closely related to ebv infection,the serum anti-lmp1 antibody level in the patients with nasal polyp declined following effective treatment,and it may be used as a valid indicator of clinical therapeutic efficacy.