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[Viral vasculitis not related to HBV, HCV and HIV]
O Lortholary1, T Généreau, I Guillevin
1Service de Médecine Interne, Hôpital Avicenne, Université Paris Nord, Bobigny, France.
Abstract:
The hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV) and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are the main causes of viral vasculitis in humans. The vascular lesions are classically ascribed to a variable combination of circulating immune complex deposition, cryoglobulinemia, and endothelial cell infection. Other viruses that can cause human vasculitis include the herpes viruses and parvovirus B19. The usual clinical manifestations of the viral infection are sometimes overshadowed by the vasculitis, which can be inaugural. With the exceptions of cytomegalovirus-and VZV-induced vasculitis, no specific treatments are available. A viral infection should be looked for routinely in patients with local or systemic vasculitis that does not admit of an obvious explanation.