EVIDENCE OF MEASLES-VIRUS RNA IN OTOSCLEROTIC TISSUE

By use of the very sensitive polymerase chain reaction technique, evid ence is given that otosclerosis is a measles-virus-associated disease of the otic capsule. These results support recent observations which d emonstrated the expression of measles antigen within active otosclerot ic foci by immunohistochemical methods. Thus it is hypothesized that t he viral infection acts as at least one pathogenetic factor during the development of this obscure, locally restricted inflammatory bone dis ease.