Sjögren's syndrome and virus.

Though there have been claims for a key-role for a thus far unknown virus in the pathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome (SS), conflicting results are to be discussed in this review. One candidate is Epstein-Barr virus which has been found within epithelial cells of labial salivary glands (LSG), using in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction. Hepatitis virus C has also been suspected, but an issue has to be made on serological false-positive results. In the light of the detection of the tax gene of human T lymphotropic virus type 1 in LSG, retroviruses have also been incriminated.