Abstract
The incidence of childhood acute rheumatic fever (ARF) declined abruptly throughout N. America starting in the late 1960s. This decline was associated temporally with the introduction of measles (ML), mumps (MU), and rubella (RU) immunization programs. To determine if there was an association at the individual level with ARF, we measured antibody titers by hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) to ML, MU, and RU and by ELISA to ML and RU in 28 patients with a past history of ARF and 51 controls matched for age, race, and sex.
The only significant difference observed was a lower rate of seropositivity to rubella by HI but not by ELISA. No differences were noted for GMT's. We conclude that ML, MU or RU infections aren't necessary cofactors in ARF pathogenesis.
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Rowe, P., Halsev, N., Mellits, E. et al. VIRAL COFACTORS AND ACUTE RHEUMATIC FEVER. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 332 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00992
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00992