[Paget's bone disease. Preliminary serological study].

A serological study has been carried out in Paget's bone disease where the etiology still remains uncertain. Previous work on patients with the disease revealed specific osteoclast inclusions that could be linked to the presence of a virus of the paramyxovirus group. Conventional methods for exploring humoral immunity reveal no great differences in the concentration of antibodies against the various viral strains tested on sera from 46 patients with Paget's bone disease and from 46 paired controls. The viral origin of Paget's bone disease is reconsidered in the light of the results obtained. The eventuality of sub-threshold viral infection and the possible action of incomplete or defective virus leading to the chronic nature of the disease are discussed.