Isolation and some serological and epidemiological data on the viruses recovered from patients with subacute thyroiditis de Quervain.

Virological and serological methods were used in examination of 28 patients suffering from subacute thyroiditis de Quervain. Attempts to isolate a presumed viral agent from 8 patients were performed by inoculation of serum, urine, and aspiration biopsies of thyroid glands taken at different stages of the illness, into tissue cultures of different types of human and animal cells. Recovery of a cytopathic viral agent on cells of a rabbit lung continuous line was successful in 5 cases. Serological cross reactions exist between the isolated viruses and patient serum but not with serum of healthy people. Cases with the acquired illness and positive antibodies against the isolated viruses who had been in close and prolonged contact with patients suffering from subacute thyroiditis de Quervain were also investigated.