[Antibodies for DNA and RNA viruses in the serum of myasthenia patients. Preliminary report].

The reported material included 14 patients with myasthenia and 14 healthy controls. Serum samples were taken for investigations twice at intervals of several weeks. The titres of antibodies against adenoviruses, cytomegalovirus and herpes virus were determined in the complement fixation reaction using antigens from tissue cultures of viruses. The level of antibodies against influenza viruses A1, A2, and B, rubella nad measles viruses was determined using the test of haemagglutination inhibition. In the myasthenic patients serological investigations demonstrated a higher level of antibodies against the studied viruses as compared with controls. The greatest differences were observed in the levels of antibodies against cytomegaloviruses. In 12 patients cytomegalovirus antibodies were found in serum dilutions from 1:4 to 1:64.. On the other hand in the control group in 5 cases positive results were obtained and the titres of antibodies ranged from 1:4 to 1:16. These data are in agreement with the results of investigations reported by American authors who put forward the hypothesis that persistent cytomegalovirus could be a factor releasing autoimmune reactions of the thymus.