[Viral appendicitis]

In order to study the appendix involvement with respiratory viruses in appendicitis, 44 cases of this disease in patients varying in ages from 14 to 71 years were investigated at random. Light microscopy and immunofluorescent examinations of the appendix were performed. The results were compared with those of serological blood tests done in the time course. In 20 patients the role of respiratory viruses and sometimes Mycoplasma pneumoniae proved to be doubtless by a significant rise in antibody titres (4-32-fold), as a rule, without any marked manifestations on the part of the respiratory organs. This was combined with detection of the antigen of the agent in enterocytes and with structural changes of the organ typical of these infections according to the results of previous examinations of the intestinal tract in generalized acute viral respiratory infections and mycoplasmosis. In 14 patients the role of respiratory viruses seemed to be likely. They showed positive results of immunofluorescent and light microscopy examinations without a significant rise in antibody titres, however. In 7 patients the role of respiratory viruses did not seem convincing: they had positive results of either immunofluorescence or serological tests alone. Three patients had no evidence of lesions caused by respiratory viruses or mycoplasma.