Virus infection and knee injury.

Serological evidence of virus infection was sought in 31 consecutive patients presenting with knee swelling and compared with age/sex-matched controls. In a normal age/sex-matched control group, 42% of patients had evidence of recent or past infection with Coxsackie B virus, emphasising the care required in the evaluation of the significance of Coxsackie B neutralization titres in individual patients. Of 12 patients presenting with knee swelling and a history of a twisting injury, eight had serological evidence of recent or past infection with Coxsackie B virus, and one had evidence of a current adenovirus infection.