Infrequent detection of cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus DNA in synovial membrane of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To study the role of the cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and 2), varicella zoster virus (VZV), and human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) in the etiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect DNA of the different herpes viruses in synovial membranes from 31 patients with chronic RA and 14 control patients. Specific antibodies were determined by indirect immunofluorescence and ELISA.


RESULTS
Out of 31 patients with RA, CMV DNA was detected in synovial membranes from 2 patients and EBV DNA was detected in synovial membranes from 2 other patients. All samples from the patients with RA were negative for DNA from HSV-1 and 2, VZV, and HHV-6. All samples from the 14 control patients were negative in all PCR assays. No statistically significant differences in IgG antibodies were found for CMV, HSV-1, VZV, and HHV-6 in patients with RA compared to controls. Higher titers of IgG antibodies against EBV viral capsid antigen were found in patients with RA, with a significance of p < 0.05.


CONCLUSIONS
Both CMV and EBV DNA were detected in synovial membranes from 6% of the patients with RA. We cannot exclude the possibility that these viruses were associated with disease development in a minority of patients with RA.
Mousavi-Jazi
M
M
Department of Virology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm.
Boström
L
L
Lövmark
C
C
Linde
A
A
Brytting
M
M
Sundqvist
V A
VA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000821:virology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral