The virus hypothesis in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Type-C viruses are currently the prime etiologic candidates in systemic lupus erythematosus. On the basis of knowledge gained from studies of experimental and human models of chronic viral disease, there are possible pathogenetic roles of a virus in systemic lupus erythematosus. Experimental attempts at implicating specific viruses have been predominantly negative, but evidence for enhanced type-C-virus expression has recently been reported.