Lxxxviii.—a Search for Filtrable Viruses in Cutaneous Diseases of Unknown Etiology

Immunological Studies of Pityriasis Rosea (Gibert)

“…The cause of pityriasis rosea remains unknown. The possibility of viral origin has long been suspected, but to date no supportive evidence has been demonstrated (5)(6)(7)(8). In 1968 Raskin (9) reported a successful attempt to detect viral agents in materials obtained from patients by inoculation to African green monkey kidney cells.…”

Pityriasis rosea – evidence for and against an infectious aetiology

“…Repeated attempts [52,[63][64][65] to isolate a virus by inoculating lesional biopsy specimens, blood, pharyngeal and rectal swabs with various cell lines failed to confirm a cytopathic effect and failed to demonstrate viral antigens by immunofluorescence assays [66]. Two studies by electron microscopy [52,67] also reported absence of viral particles from lesional biopsy specimens of patients with PR.…”

Pityriasis rosea – a virus-induced skin disease? An update

“…Attempts to isolate the PR virus by inoculating PR biopsies, blood, pharyngeal and rectal swab eluates with various cell lines failed to demonstrate a cytopathic effect or the presence of viral antigens by immunofluorescence assays [9,21,36,64]. In 1968, Raskin reported that cultured African green monkey kidney cells showed a cytopathic effect upon inoculation with scales and skin biopsies from both, the herald patch and secondary PR lesions [49].…”