[Virus diseases in the ENT area].

Viral infections cause many disease in the mucous membranes, the upper respiratory and digestive tract, the salivary glands and the ear. Recent advances in the pathogenesis of viral diseases brought about an increasing interest of otolaryngologists. The general part of this paper presents the fundamental properties of viruses, their structure and replication, and the pathogenesis of the different forms of viral infections. The section of viral diagnosis describes laboratory methods and their limits as well as the clinical interpretation of viral tests. An overview of viral diagnosis describes laboratory methods and their limits as well as the clinical interpretation of viral test. An overview of prophylaxis and therapy of viral infections is given. The specialized section of the paper describes viral infections important for the otorhinolaryngologist. It includes infections of the aero-digestive tract, the ear and the salivary glands. Because of its special importance, Epstein-Barr virus and its associated diseases, and hypotheses about the oncogenesis of EBV-correlated tumours are presented in detail. The topic of the third part is of actual knowledge about interferon and its antiviral and antitumour effects. The findings of important clinical studies are discussed. The last chapter concerns with virushepatitis.