Still's disease associated with adenovirus infection and defect in adenovirus directed natural killing

Abstract

Low natural killer (NK) activity towards adenovirus infected fibroblasts was detected in the peripheral blood of a child with Still's disease and was not normalised by the addition of interferon alfa or interleukin 2. NK cytotoxicity directed at K 562 target cells or polio infected fibroblasts was normal. This specific NK deficiency might have contributed to the development of the child's Still's disease.