title: Common infectious agents prevalence in antiphospholipid syndrome.
abstract: Antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by thrombosis and pregnancy loss. Infections are generally associated with autoimmune diseases, but in the setting of antiphospholipid syndrome this link has been suggested as having a pathogenic role. In this study, 98 patients with antiphospholipid syndrome were screened for antibodies directed to several infectious agents. The main finding in this study is the significantly higher prevalence of IgM antibodies to toxoplasma and rubella. This novel finding suggests that these infections might be associated with antiphospholipid syndrome. As autoimmune diseases and, in particular, antiphospholipid syndrome are associated with infections, mainly the catastrophic type of the syndrome, this finding implies that a current infection with these agents, i.e. toxoplasma and rubella, might either be related to the pathogenesis of antiphospholipid syndrome or alternatively to its manifestations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine B and Center of Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zinger
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sherer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goddard
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Berkun
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Barzilai
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Agmon-Levin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blank
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tincani
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rozman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cervera
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoenfeld
mesh_terms: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012409:Rubella / Q000276:immunology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M