Association of HLA class I and class II antigens with rheumatic fever in a Turkish population.
The distribution of class I and class II HLA antigens of 100 Turkish patients with rheumatic fever, 77 of whom had cardiac involvement, was examined. We compared the results with a control group of identical origin. The frequency of HLA A10 and HLA B35 antigens were found significantly higher in patients with rheumatic fever (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively). The frequency of HLA A10 and HLA DRw11 in patients with cardiac involvement were significantly higher than in those without cardiac involvement (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively). On the other hand, HLA Cw2 antigen frequency was found significantly higher in patients without cardiac involvement than in those with rheumatic heart disease (p < 0.05). We support the concept that rheumatic fever is an immunological reaction to group A, beta hemolytic streptococci in individuals who have genetic predisposition.
Olmez
U
U
Department of Immunology, Medical School of Ankara University, Turkey.
Turgay
M
M
Ozenirler
S
S
Tutkak
H
H
Düzgün
N
N
Duman
M
M
Tokgöz
G
G
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001168:Arthritis / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000032:analysis*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012213:Rheumatic Fever / Q000276:immunology*; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000276:immunology
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II