VIRUSES OF THE ACUTE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

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Abstract
THE GROUP of acute and extremely common communicable virus infections has been greatly enlarged in recent years since the recognition of the Coxsackie and ECHO viruses. The clinical manifestations of infections with this large group of agents are gradually being sorted out, and include aseptic meningitis, pleurodynia, herpangina, diarrhea, various minor illnesses and a variety of exanthems. The observation that several of them produce diseases with rash has greatly complicated the diagnostic problems of the pediatrician. This group of illnesses is of great interest and importance, but will not be discussed here. Rather, the scope of this presentation will be limited to three infections, namely, measles (rubeola), rubella, and those due to the viruses of varicella and herpes zoster. The purpose is to review briefly the present status of our knowledge concerning them and to point out some of the problems yet to be solved. No attempt will be made at exhaustive coverage. MEASLES Experimental Considerations As the result of the work of Enders and his associates, it is now possible to study the virus of measles in the laboratory, and control of this disease by active immunization would appear to be a real possibility within the near future. From the historic point of view measles has been the subject of a great deal of attention from the clinician, epidemiologist and virologist. The early workers, such as Anderson and Goldberger in 1911, Blake and Trask in 1921, and others at about the same time, were able to produce measles in monkeys by inoculating them with blood and other materials from patients.

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