ABSTRACT
A wide variety of viral agents have long been associated with different vasculitic processes affecting humans as well as animals (1-10). In recent years, the recognition of vasculitides occurring in patients infected with hepatitis viruses (11-14), human immunodeficiency virus (15), and various agents belonging to the herpes family (16-18), has greatly expanded the interest in this field. The awareness of a causal relationship between specific viruses and some vasculitic syndromes may have important clinical implications. In fact, the recent development of reliable virological tests, along with the availability of effective antiviral drugs may offer the chance of treatment based on etiology, possibly resulting in definitive cure of these often severe diseases. Conversely, treating virus-associated vasculitides with immunosuppressive drugs alone may favor viral replication with potential severe complications (19).
