Abstract

 


Objectives: Studies on the role of viruses on pathogenesis of the inflammatory rheumatic diseases for which autoimmune mechanisms have been believed to those play important roles, still have increased popularity. This study has been conducted to explore EBV-VCA and CMV antibody positivities in serum samples of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases such as RA and AS.

Material and methods: The patients with RA (n=38) and AS (n=36) who admitted to outpatient clinics of the department of PM&R and 41 healthy volunteers were been included in this study. Serum EBV-VCA IgG and EBV-VCA IgM, and CMV IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies were measured by ELISA as positive or negative results.

Results: CMV IgA antibody positivities in patients with RA were higher than the control group; in addition EBV-VCA IgM antibody positivities were higher in the patients with RA than those with AS and healthy volunteers.

Conclusion: These results suggest that EBV infections may play a role in etiopathogenesis of RA.

Key words: Inflammatory rheumatic disease, Epstein-Barr Virus, Cytomegalovirus, EBV, CMV.