Development of Viral Diseases and a Viral Disease-Like Syndrome After Extracorporeal Circulation

In 170 consecutive patients with congenital or acquired cardiac disease who survived openheart operations, 14 patients (8 per cent) developed a syndrome characterized by malaise, fever, normal or low white blood count, lymphocytosis, and, in most cases, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly. The onset was usually delayed from three to six weeks after operation. Although this syndrome clinically resembled infectious mononucleosis, this diagnosis could be clearly established in only one case by heterophile antibody determinations. Nevertheless, the presence of virocytes and other similarities suggest a viral etiology for the other 13 cases.