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Prevalence of autoantibodies in patients with endemic pemphigus foliaceus (fogo selvagem)

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Abstract

Objective

The aim of the present study was to investigate a broad spectrum of autoantibodies in patients with endemic pemphigus foliaceus (EPF)—fogo selvagem—and to determine the possible association between EPF and other autoimmune diseases.

Materials and methods

Indirect immunofluorescence was used to test 120 patients with EPF and 200 healthy controls for the presence of the following autoantibodies: anti-desmoglein-1 (APF), anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic (ANCA), anti-smooth muscle (SMA), anti-mitochondrial (AMA), anti-nuclear (ANA), anti-liver kidney microsomal (LKM), anti-gastric parietal cells (GPCA) and anti-thyroid microsome (TMA).

Results

APF antibodies were detected in 62.5% of the patients (75/120), ANA and SMA in 0.8% (1/120), and TMA in 1.6% (2/120). None of the patients was positive for ANCA, AMA, LKM or GPCA. In the control group, a positivity of 2% was observed for SMA (4/200), 1.5% for TMA (3/200), and 0.5% (1/200) for ANA and GPCA. None of the controls was positive for APF, LKM, AMA or ANCA.

Conclusions

The prevalence of the autoantibodies ANA, SMA, AMA, GPCA, LKM and ANCA in patients with EPF was similar to that observed in the control group. No association with clinical or laboratory manifestations of other concomitant autoimmune diseases was observed in EPF patients. These results confirm the concept that EPF is an organ-specific autoimmune disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Immunopathology, Department of Medical Pathology, University Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil

    Renato Mitsunori Nisihara, Ricardo Schmitt de Bem, Romeu Hausberger & Iara José de Messias-Reason

  2. Department of Genetics, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil

    Valéria Sperandio Roxo, Daniela Parada Pavoni & Maria Luiza Petzl-Erler

  3. Immunopathology Laboratory, Department of Medical Pathology, Setor de Ciências da Saúde, Rua General Carneiro no. 181, Centro, CEP 80060-900, Curitiba-PR, Brazil

    Iara José de Messias-Reason

Authors
  1. Renato Mitsunori Nisihara
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  2. Ricardo Schmitt de Bem
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  3. Romeu Hausberger
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  4. Valéria Sperandio Roxo
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  6. Maria Luiza Petzl-Erler
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  7. Iara José de Messias-Reason
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Correspondence to Iara José de Messias-Reason.

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Nisihara, R.M., de Bem, R.S., Hausberger, R. et al. Prevalence of autoantibodies in patients with endemic pemphigus foliaceus (fogo selvagem). Arch Dermatol Res 295, 133–137 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-003-0412-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-003-0412-9

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