Occurrence of HLA Types in H. Influenzae Type B Disease |
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| Authors: | Amir Tejani R Mahadevan Bohdan Dobias Bhim Nangia Matei Weiner |
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| Institution: | Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology, The Methodist Hospital and State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, New York, USA |
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| Abstract: | We have studied 50 Caucasoid children under 7 years of age with Haemophilus influenzae b disease. Half of the patients (Group A) had invasive disease shown by positive blood and/or spinal fluid culture. The other half (Group B) had noninvasive disease characterized by fever, nasopharyngitis, negative blood culture, and positive throat culture. Age, number of other siblings under 12 years old in the family, immune response, antibody production and genetic markers were compared in the two groups. Significant difference between the two groups was only seen in their genetic markers. HLA-B12 was present in 52% of Group A patients as opposed to 16% in Group B patients (P less than .01). HLA-Bw40 was present in 24% of group B patients and absent in all Group A patients (P less than .01). These findings would suggest that susceptibility and resistance towards developing invasive type b disease may be genetically determined. |
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