Detection of herpesvirus DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and skin lesions of patients with pemphigus by polymerase chain reaction

Pemphigus is an autoimmune disease where both endogenous (genetic) and exog enous (environmental) factors play a part. Viral infections, in particular herpesvirus infections, have been identified as a possible triggering facto r for pemphigus, In this study, using the polymerase chain reaction, we stu died peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and skin biopsies from patie nts with pemphigus, and in some of these were able to demonstrate the prese nce of DNA sequences of herpes simplex virus 1/2 (50% in PBMC and 71% in sk in biopsies), Epstein-Barr virus (15% in PBMC and 5% in skin biopsies) and human herpesvirus 6 (20% in PBMC only). However, the inability to detect he rpesvirus DNA consistently in these cases suggests that viral infection may only be an occasional factor triggering the outbreak or exacerbation of th e disease. The possible role of interferons and interleukins in the pathoge nesis of virus-induced pemphigus is discussed.