Viral Infections Associated with Exanthem in Draftees

Abstract

All draftees with exanthematous skin eruptions from a military area were hospitalized during the first 5 months in 1969 to study the possibilities of making an etiological diagnosis on grounds of clinical features and conventional laboratory and X-ray examinations before the final virological diagnosis was available. 58 rash patients were studied. The following information was correlated to the rise in viral antibody titers: history of previous rashes, clinical symptoms and signs, leucocyte count, ESR and body temperature. The virological studies revealed a rise in titers of rubella antibodies in 40 patients, of adenovirus in 8, of influenza A2 virus in 4, and of measles virus antibodies in 4. There was no rise in 2 patients. No rise in enterovirus antibody titers was seen. The conclusion drawn was that in adult rash patients it is rarely possible to make a doubtless etiological diagnosis on clinical grounds during the actual illness. Yet, adeno infection in particular seems to have some characteristics suggesting this disease, thus rendering an educated guess possible. On the other hand, rubella titer rise is often seen in clinically atypical forms which deviate from the classical type.