Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is one of the autoimmune disorders, generated by a production of specific autoantibodies against self-antigens before the occurrence of clinical symptoms. The etiology of disease is still unknown, although there have been several infectious agents that have been associated with SLE development, especially in genetically predisposed individuals. Herpes simplex virus-I and -II (HSV-I and -II) and Toxoplasma gondiiare two infectious agents that have been suggested to be involved in SLE etiology. Accordingly, the present study assessed anti- HSV-I and -II and anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in sera of 64 SLE female patients and 32 healthy control women. The patients were distributed into two equal subgroups (32 cases in each subgroup); the first included patients with arthritis, while the second group involved patients that have renal complications (nephritis). In both subgroups of SLE patients, there was no evidence for sero-positive cases for anti-HSV-I and -II and anti-T. gondii antibodies, and all studied patients were sero-negative for theseantibodies. These results may suggest that HSV-I and -II and T. gondii infections have no role in SLE etiology.
