Persistent synovial lymphocyte responses to mumps and adenovirus antigens.

A man in his 50s with rheumatoid arthritis showed maximal synovial lymphocyte reactivity to mumps antigen on 9 of 10 testings over a period of 6 years; peripheral blood lymphocytes showed no significant responses to mumps antigen in 5 testings over 5 years. A boy of 15 with recurrent arthritis of the right knee showed maximal synovial lymphocyte reactivity to adenovirus antigen. This reactivity was again present during a subsequent episode more than 3 years later; peripheral blood lymphocytes showed no such response to adenovirus antigen.