Systemic lupus erythematosus and herpes virus infection: three new observations

Introduction. – Systemic lupus erythematosus is still of unknown origin. Viruses have long been postulated to play a role in its pathogenesis particularly cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus.Exegese. – We describe three patients who presented acute onset of syste´mic lupus erythematosus concurrently with recent viral infection (two with cytomegalovirus and one with Epstein-Barr virus).Conclusion. – The peculiar clinical events emphasize the difficulty of diagnosis at the onset of the disease and suggest possible role of these viruses in the pathogenesis of SLE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]