The Relationship of American Visceral Leishmaniasis to ABO Blood Group Type

Thomas Evans Division of Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908

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Talapala G. Naidu Nucleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil

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Joaquim Eduardo De Alencar Nucleo de Medicina Tropical, Universidade Federal do Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil

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Richard D. Pearson Division of Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1984.33.805
Volume/Issue:
Volume 33: Issue 5
Page(s):
805–807
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It has been hypothesized that the Leishmania use a system of camouflage or mimicry of human ABO blood group antigens to evade host defense mechanisms. In order to test this hypothesis, the distribution of ABO blood groups among healthy control donors and among patients with visceral leishmaniasis in northeastern Brazil was compared. No significant differences were found between patients with American visceral leishmaniasis and controls, indicating that ABO blood group type is not an important determinant in the development of clinically apparent visceral leishmaniasis in that area. The findings raise doubt about the validity of the original hypothesis.

Author Notes

Copyright:
Copyright © 1984 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1984
Accepted:
16 Mar 1984
|
Published Online:
Sep 1984
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
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