TY - JOUR
T1 - Short report
T2 - Potential for autoimmune pathogenesis of rift valley fever virus retinitis
AU - Newman-Gerhardt, Shoshana
AU - Muiruri, Samuel
AU - Muchiri, Eric
AU - Peters, Clarence J.
AU - Morrill, John
AU - Lucas, Alexander H.
AU - King, Charles H.
AU - Kazura, James
AU - LaBeaud, Angelle Desiree
PY - 2013/9
Y1 - 2013/9
N2 - Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a significant threat to human health because it can progress to retinitis, encephalitis, and hemorrhagic fever. The timing of onset of Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV) retinitis suggests an autoimmune origin. To determine whether RVFV retinitis is associated with increased levels of IgG against retinal tissue, we measured and compared levels of IgG against healthy human eye tissue by immunohistochemical analysis. We found that serum samples from RVFV-exposed Kenyans with retinitis (n = 8) were slightly more likely to have antibodies against retinal tissue than control populations, but the correlation was not statistically significant. Further investigation into the possible immune pathogenesis of RVFV retinitis could lead to improved therapies to prevent or treat this severe complication.
AB - Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a significant threat to human health because it can progress to retinitis, encephalitis, and hemorrhagic fever. The timing of onset of Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV) retinitis suggests an autoimmune origin. To determine whether RVFV retinitis is associated with increased levels of IgG against retinal tissue, we measured and compared levels of IgG against healthy human eye tissue by immunohistochemical analysis. We found that serum samples from RVFV-exposed Kenyans with retinitis (n = 8) were slightly more likely to have antibodies against retinal tissue than control populations, but the correlation was not statistically significant. Further investigation into the possible immune pathogenesis of RVFV retinitis could lead to improved therapies to prevent or treat this severe complication.
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U2 - 10.4269/ajtmh.12-0562
DO - 10.4269/ajtmh.12-0562
M3 - Article
C2 - 23918215
AN - SCOPUS:84886917041
SN - 0002-9637
VL - 89
SP - 495
EP - 497
JO - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
JF - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
IS - 3
ER -