Serum anti-Yersinia antibody in Chinese patients with Kawasaki disease.
BACKGROUND
Many infectious agents have been implicated as an etiology to develop Kawasaki disease (KD). In Taiwan, studies on the relationship between Yersinia and KD have not been reported.


METHODS
We measured sera for anti-Yersinia antibodies by using enzyme immunoassay (EIA) in 31 patients with KD and 60 healthy children (HC). Yersinia strains included Y. pseudotuberculosis I, II, III, IV, V, VI and Y. enterocolitica O3, O8 and O9.


RESULTS
Data of 31 patients with KD showed that for the IgG antibody, serum anti-Y. pseudotuberculosis II, III, Y. O8 and O9 antibody were significantly higher when compared to the HC. Except for Y. pseudotuberculosis IV, all other Yersinia strains of either IgA or IgM antibodies increased significantly in patients with KD vs. the HC. If we compared the number of patients who had significant elevation of OD and those of HC, we found IgA anti-Yersinia antibodies (PST I, PST II, O3, O8, O9), IgM (PST VI, O8) and IgG (PST II, O8, O9) were significantly elevated in KD patients than in HC. A significant relationship was present between KD with myocarditis and increased anti-Yersinia antibody titer.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings in this study suggest that preceding Yersinia infection may play a role in the pathogenesis of KD. Further study of the relationship between KD with myocarditis and increased anti-Yersinia antibody is needed.
Chou
Chung-Tei
CT
Division of Allergy-Immunology-Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. ctchou@vghtpe.gov.tw
Chang
J S
JS
Ooi
Seng-Eng
SE
Huo
An-Ping
AP
Chang
Shu-Jen
SJ
Chang
Hsiao-Ning
HN
Tsai
Chang-Youh
CY
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015007:Yersinia / Q000276:immunology*; D015009:Yersinia Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial