Human cytomegalovirus infection and systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
Viruses are considered possible aetiologic agents of autoimmune disease. Evidence suggests that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) may be a pathogenetic factor in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We undertook a seroepidemiological study to determine whether HCMV infection is increased in patients with SLE.


METHODS
Sero-epidemiologic data, indicative of virus prevalence, were obtained by enzyme immunoassay.


RESULTS
Eighty-eight of 97 serum samples (90.7%) taken from adult patients with SLE were seropositive for HCMV. By contrast, HCMV was detected in only 32 of 50 (64.0%) adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 42 of 97 (43.3%) normal controls. The odds ratio for HCMV prevalence in SLE/normal controls was 14.53 (95% CI is 6.39 to 33.04). For comparison, data for herpes simplex virus-I (HSV-I) seropositivity were obtained from the same three groups. Seventy-eight patients with SLE (80.4%), 40 patients with RA (80.0%) and 57 normal controls (58.8%) were seropositive for this closely-related herpesvirus.


CONCLUSIONS
The data shows a specific and highly significant association between infection with HCMV and a clinical diagnosis of SLE.
Rider
J R
JR
National Blood Service, Bristol Centre, UK.
Ollier
W E
WE
Lock
R J
RJ
Brookes
S T
ST
Pamphilon
D H
DH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G