title: Viral infections and antiphospholipid antibodies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between viral infections and the induction of antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the medical literature from 1968 until 2000 using MEDLINE and the key words virus, infection, antiphospholipid, and anticardiolipin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anticardiolipin antibodies and/or lupus anticoagulant were associated with a number of viral infections, including hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus, cytomegalovirus, varicella zoster, Epstein-Barr virus, adenovirus, and parvovirus B. In many instances, the presence of these antibodies was associated with thrombosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical significance of finding aPL antibodies in patients with viral infections remains unknown. In some patients, these antibodies may be transient and disappear within 2 or 3 months. In other susceptible individuals, they may persist and raise the question of whether infections may trigger the development of aPL antibodies in autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. iuthman@aub.edu.lb
authors.forename: Imad W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Uthman
authors.forename: Azzudin E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Gharavi
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000032:analysis*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid