Immunological studies on acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease.

The results of immunologic studies in 27 cases of acute rheumatic fever and 11 cases of chronic rheumatic heart disease are reported. In both groups, there are elevation of peripheral B lymphocytes and depression of T lymphocytes when compared to the normal control subjects. Circulating immune complexes and autoantibodies including anti-smooth muscle antibody, antimitochondria antibody and anti-parietal cell antibody are detectable in certain cases of both groups. Deposition of IgG, beta 1c and Coxsackie antigen are demonstrable in myocardial tissue in autopsy of two cases with acute rheumatic fever in association with the detection of immune complexes in their sera. Our results together with the previous reports suggested that the Coxsackie virus are one of the causative agent of the rheumatic fever. Moreover humoral and cellular immunological reaction are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.