Detection of Herpes Virus DNA in Post-operative Thyroid Tissue Specimens of Patients with Autoimmune Thyroid Disease

Abstract

Although no data are available relating the direct effect of herpes infection on thyroid epithelial cells, a better understanding of how an aberrant immune response against the thyroid gland is initiated and propagated through herpes virus infection is required. Elucidation of the underlying mechanisms may allow the development of new etiologically based therapeutic modalities.