Immunopathology of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. The demonstration of Coxsackie group B viral antigen in the myocardium.
Immunopathologic studies were performed on heart tissue of patients with acute rheumatic fever with carditis and chronic rheumatic heart disease. Coxsackie group B viral antigen was demonstrated in 3 heart specimens of patients clinically compatible with active rheumatic fever. In two of these the pathologic findings were compatible with acute rheumatic carditis. Immunoglobulin was detected in 2 and complement in one of these heart specimens. All of the chronic rheumatic heart specimens and the controls were negative. These findings suggested that Coxsackie group B virus may be etiologically related to the pathogenesis of acute rheumatic fever.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D003172:Complement C1 / Q000032:analysis; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000276:immunology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000276:immunology; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000276:immunology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D003172:Complement C1; D007136:Immunoglobulins