HLA characterization in adult asymptomatic cyst passers of Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar

Edith Valdez, Ma Del Carmen Martínez, Alejandro Gómez, Roberto Cedillo, Jorge Arellano, Marta E. Peŕez, Fernando Ramos, Patricia Morán, Enrique González, Olivia Valenzuela, Emma I. Melendro, Manuel Ramiro, Roberto Kretschmer, Onofre Muñoz, Cecilia Ximénez*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

The present work aimed at studying the possible association of HLA antigens with Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar asymptomatic infection in a Mexican mestizo population. A case-control design was selected for evaluation of the role of genetic markers in parasite infection. For this purpose the HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DR profiles of a population of asymptomatic E. histolytica/E. dispar adult cyst passers (cases) and a corresponding nonparasitized adult group (controls) followed for 12 months were identified. Entamoeba species were identified through zymodeme patterns and/or amplification of species-specific DNA sequences. A healthy, nonparasitized group of individuals was included as a control. Our results show that apparently, no specific HLA marker is associated with the asymptomatic cyst passers' condition. These findings have to be added to previous results in which, in contrast to a demonstrated association between HLA-DR3 and amebic liver abscess in Mexican mestizo adults and infants, no significant association with amebic rectocolitis was found.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)833-836
Number of pages4
JournalParasitology Research
Volume85
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - 1999
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank Mrs. Isabel Pérez-Montfort for assistance in manuscript elaboration and Mrs. Ma. Elena Ortiz-Tadeo for secretarial help. This work was supported by National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) grant 3065M9306 and by National University of Mexico, UNAM (DGAPA), grant IN201695. The experiments comply with the current ethics laws of the country in which the experiments were performed.

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