title: A deletion in the chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) gene is associated with tickborne encephalitis.
abstract: Tickborne encephalitis (TBE) virus infections can be asymptomatic or cause moderate to severe injuries of the central nervous system. Why some individuals develop severe disease is unknown, but a role for host genetic factors has been suggested. To investigate whether chemokine receptor CCR5 is associated with TBE, CCR5Delta32 genotyping was performed among Lithuanian patients with TBE (n=129) or with aseptic meningoencephalitis (n=76) as well as among control subjects (n=134). We found individuals homozygous for CCR5Delta32 (P= .026) only among patients with TBE and a higher allele prevalence among patients with TBE compared with the other groups studied. CCR5Delta32 allele prevalence also increased with the clinical severity of disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Virology, Medical Faculty, University of Linköping, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kindberg
authors.forename: Aukse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mickiene
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ax
authors.forename: Britt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Akerlind
authors.forename: Sirkka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vene
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lindquist
authors.forename: Ake
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lundkvist
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Svensson
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000235:genetics; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000235:genetics*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D019713:Receptors, CCR5