Preliminary report of an association between measles virus and achalasia.
Complement fixation tests were performed on sera from 18 patients with achalasia and 12 age- and sex-matched controls against a number of bacterial and viral agents in an attempt to ascertain any association with previous infection or any evidence of an altered immune response. There was a statistically significant increase of antibody titre against measles virus in the sera of 21 patients with achalasia compared with age- and sex-matched controls and this was confirmed by haemagglutination inhibition.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000150:complications*; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged
D000914:Antibodies, Viral