Influence of host genetics on the severity of coccidioidomycosis

Emerg Infect Dis. 1999 Sep-Oct;5(5):672-80. doi: 10.3201/eid0505.990508.

Abstract

Coccidioidomycosis, a mild flulike illness in approximately 40% of infected persons, progresses to severe pulmonary or disseminated disease in 1% to 10% of symptomatic cases. We examined host genetic influences on disease severity among class II HLA loci and the ABO blood group. Participants included African-American, Caucasian, and Hispanic persons with mild or severe disseminated coccidioidomycosis from Kern County, California. Among Hispanics, predisposition to symptomatic disease and severe disseminated disease is associated with blood types A and B, respectively. The HLA class II DRB1*1301 allele marks a pre-disposition to severe disseminated disease in each of the three groups. Reduced risk for severe disease is associated with DRB1*0301-DQB1*0201 among Caucasians and Hispanics and with DRB1*1501-DQB1*0602 among African-Americans. These data support the hypothesis that host genes, in particular HLA class II and the ABO blood group, influence susceptibility to severe coccidioidomycosis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • ABO Blood-Group System / genetics
  • Alleles
  • Black People
  • California / epidemiology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Coccidioidomycosis / classification
  • Coccidioidomycosis / complications
  • Coccidioidomycosis / epidemiology
  • Coccidioidomycosis / genetics*
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease* / classification
  • Hispanic or Latino
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / genetics
  • Humans
  • Phenotype
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • White People

Substances

  • ABO Blood-Group System
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II