title: Low prevalence of thyroid antibodies in a Somalian population.
abstract: Prevalence rates of serum thyroid antibodies in a Somalian population have been compared with those of an Italian population. Thyroid antibodies have been evaluated by passive haemagglutination (microsomal antigen) and by 125I-thyroglobulin binding. In the Italian survey 13% of all subjects were positive for thyroid antibodies. A significantly lower prevalence of thyroid antibody positive subjects was found in the Somalian group (2,07%, P less than 0.001). It is suggested that the observed difference between Somalian and Italian populations could reflect nutritional or genetic causes which influence the antithyroid autoimmune response.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D004777:Environment; D004813:Epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012998:Somalia; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies