Premium
Recurrent Herpes Simplex Virus‐Induced Erythema Multiforme: Different HLA‐DQB1 Alleles Associate with Severe Mucous Membrane Versus Skin Attacks
Author(s) -
Antje Malo,
Kämpgen Eckhart,
Rudolf Wank
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3083.1998.00357.x
Subject(s) - allele , erythema multiforme , mucous membrane , human leukocyte antigen , immunology , typing , herpes simplex virus , immune system , phenotype , medicine , virus , biology , gene , antigen , genetics
In some individuals a local herpetic lesion precipitates a generalized inflammation of the skin, designated as erythema multiforme (EM). We determined the frequencies of the immune response genes of the HLA system by molecular HLA class II typing in 46 patients with EM and in many of their family members. Allele frequencies were correlated with disease form and disease‐inducing factors. We found that specific complications of HSV infection occur preferentially in patients with certain HLA‐DQB1 alleles. In 21 of the 46 patients EM was induced by recurrent HSV infection. Thirteen of these patients showing only minor or no involvement of mucous membranes had the HLA allele DQB1*0302 (phenotype frequency 61.9% versus 18.8% in controls, p corr = 0.0008) and all three patients with major involvement of mucous membranes had the rare HLA allele DQB1*0402 (phenotype frequency in controls 6,4%, p corr = 0.017).