Alpha-heavy chain disease. Report of a case with spontaneous regression.
The occurrence of alpha-heavy chain disease in an Italian adult, working in Libya, is reported, characterized by a spontaneous clinical and immunological recovery. It is suggested that the patient could have acquired the disease during his stay in an endemic area of alpha-heavy chain disease, and that the observed spontaneous remission could be related to the removal of environmental pathogenic factors, following his departure from Libya.
D000328:Adult; D004386:Duodenum / Q000276:immunology; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D006362:Heavy Chain Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis*; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000276:immunology*; D007137:Immunoglobulin alpha-Chains / Q000276:immunology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007137:Immunoglobulin alpha-Chains