Profile of Trypanosoma cruzi reactivity in a population at high risk for endemic pemphigus foliaceus (Fogo selvagem).

Abstract

Fogo selvagem (FS) is an autoimmune bullous disease with pathogenic IgG autoantibodies recognizing desmoglein 1 (Dsg1), a desmosomal glycoprotein. In certain settlements of Brazil, a high prevalence of FS (3%) is reported, suggesting environmental factors as triggers of the autoimmune response. Healthy individuals from endemic areas recognize nonpathogenic epitopes of Dsg1, and exposure to hematophagous insects is a risk factor for FS. Fogo selvagem and Chagas disease share some geographic sites, and anti-Dsg1 has been detected in Chagas patients. Indeterminate Chagas disease was identified in a Brazilian Amerindian population of high risk for FS. In counterpart, none of the FS patients living in the same geographic region showed reactivity against Trypanosoma cruzi. The profile of anti-Dsg1 antibodies showed positive results in 15 of 40 FS sera and in 33 of 150 sera from healthy individuals from endemic FS sites, and no cross-reactivity between Chagas disease and FS was observed.

• Authors: Joaquim X Sousa Jr, Luis A Diaz, Donald P Eaton, Günter Hans-Filho, Elder Lanzani de Freitas, Livia Delgado, Ligia Maria F Ichimura, Flávia Cristaldi, Renata Orlandi, Norival Kesper Jr, Eufrosina S Umezawa, Evandro A Rivitti, Valeria Aoki, Cooperative Group on Fogo Selvagem Research
• Journal: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene (Am J Trop Med Hyg) Vol. 87 Issue 4 Pg. 675-80 (Oct 2012) ISSN: 1476-1645 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22826496 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Protozoan
• Autoantibodies
• Desmoglein 1

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Antibodies, Protozoan (blood)
• Autoantibodies (blood, immunology)
• Brazil (epidemiology)
• Chagas Disease (diagnosis, epidemiology, ethnology, immunology)
• Child
• Desmoglein 1 (immunology)
• Endemic Diseases
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Humans
• Indians, South American
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pemphigus (epidemiology, ethnology, immunology)
• Risk Factors
• Trypanosoma cruzi (immunology)
• Young Adult