NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Repeated or reactivated infection with Epstein Barr virus (EBV) may play a role in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), new study findings suggest. For reasons not yet known, the association is much stronger in African Americans than in whites.
The findings, which appear in the April issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism, are based on comparison of 230 patients with recently diagnosed SLE and 276 matched controls. The subjects were tested for antibodies to EBV and evaluated for polymorphisms of a gene called cytoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), which have previously been shown to influence SLE risk.
The seroprevalence of EBV-IgA, but not IgM or IgG, was associated with SLE risk. In African Americans, the presence of this antibody raised the risk of SLE by 5.6-fold. By contrast, in whites, its presence was only tied to a 1.6-fold increased risk of the disease.
Among patients with IgG antibodies to EBV, the risk of SLE rose as the titers increased. Once again, this association was most pronounced in African American subjects.
The link between EBV-IgA and SLE was modified by the CTLA-4 genotype (p = 0.03). In particular, a stronger association was seen among subjects harboring the -1661AA genotype.
“The racial difference in the association between EBV-IgA and SLE is intriguing, especially since African Americans have a higher risk of SLE, tend to develop the disease earlier, and often have a more severe course of disease,” lead author Dr. Christine G. Parks, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, said in a statement.
“One explanation could be that there are more opportunities for reinfection among African Americans, given the higher population prevalence of infection and likelihood of encountering and becoming infected with new viral strains,” she suggested.
Source: Arthritis Rheum 2005;52:1148-1159. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Behavioral Sciences: Biochemical Phenomena: Biochemical Phenomena, Metabolism, and Nutrition: Biological Phenomena: Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity: Data Collection: Demography: Behavioral Disciplines and Activities: Environment and Public Health: Epidemiologic Methods: Health: Health Occupations: Health Services Administration: Information Science: Medicine: Microbiologic Phenomena: Investigative Techniques: Morbidity: Neoplasms: Neoplasms, Experimental: Population Characteristics: Preventive Medicine: Public Health: Quality of Health Care: Social Sciences: Specialties, Medical: Tumor Virus Infections: Virus Activation: Virus Replication: Vital Statistics: Epidemiologic Measurements: Prevalence: Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation: Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms: Viral Physiology: Epstein-Barr Virus Infections: etiology: Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment: Anthropology, Education, Sociology and Social Phenomena: Biological Sciences: Diseases: Health Care: Information Science: Psychiatry and PsychologyCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
