We have been studying patients who have recovered from Reye's syndrome and controls. We have found that the metabolism of aspirin in these patients is not abnormal. Immune responses however are abnormal for several viruses. These findings are being extended. Techniques to improve the rapid viral diagnosis of acute and persistent infections which affect the CNS received special emphasis. We have developed a technique to identify herpes virus in clinical specimens within 24-36 hours. These isolates can be immediately typed using a capture technique which employs polyclonal antibody and a specific second monoclonal antibody. Longitudinal studies of a child with a severe neurological involvement following CMV infection has been reported. After 3 years, the cellular immune state of the child improved and viremia and uremia disappeared. In vitro studies of immunosuppressive drugs on permissiveness and growth of CMV in tissue culture cells indicated that the drugs did not enhance the virus replication. We have studied a large population of adult students with congenital rubella. Almost 20% of the students have developed diabetes. Our results indicate that CMV infection is not causatively associated with diabetes mellitus, however IgM rubella antibody studies are in progress. Sera and CSF were studied from 24 MS twin pairs (one had MS, the other was normal). Measles and rubella virus antibody levels were elevated in the MS affected individuals. Serum and CSF antibody levels were elevated in DW2 individuals, but DW2 and antibody levels were not associated with clinical symptoms. We have established critical levels for measles antibodies in the serum and CSF of SSPE patients when measured by ELISA techniques. This will be useful for physicians in differential diagnosis.
