Trial Information

Evaluation of the Association of Polymorphisms in the Innate Immune System With the Risk for Blastomycosis Dermatitidis Infection in Patients Not Infected With HIV and Complications Associated With Blastomycosis Dermatitidis Infection

Innate immunity plays an important role for fungal recognition and initiation of fungicidal
activity. We hypothesize that subtle differences in different molecules of innate immunity
may contribute to either the predisposition or clinical course of infection with
Blastomycosis Dermatitidis. To test this hypothesis, we propose to analyze the allelic
frequencies of 15 different genes (mannose binding lectin, Fc-gamma receptor Ila and IIb,
Fc-gamma receptors IIIa and IIIb, myeloperoxidase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and -beta,
interleukin 1A and 1B, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, interleukin-10, NRAMP-1,
chitotriosidase, and chemokine receptor 5) and their intragenic polymorphic forms and to
compare this data to the incidence and severity of Blastomycosis Dermatitidis infection.
With this study we hope to identify a group of molecules of innate immunity which influence
the risk and severity of invasive Blastomycosis Dermatitidis infection.