A deletion in the chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) gene is associated with tickborne encephalitis

• Tickborne encephalitis (TBE) virus infections can be asymptomatic or cause moderate to severe injuries of the central nervous system. Why some individuals develop severe disease is unknown, but a role for host genetic factors has been suggested. To investigate whether chemokine receptor CCR5 is associated with TBE, CCR5Δ32 genotyping was performed among Lithuanian patients with TBE (n = 129) or with aseptic meningoencephalitis (n = 76) as well as among control subjects (n = 134). We found individuals homozygous for CCR5Δ32 (P = .026) only among patients with TBE and a higher allele prevalence among patients with TBE compared with the other groups studied. CCR5Δ32 allele prevalence also increased with the clinical severity of disease. © 2007 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.

Nyckelord

Alleles Encephalitis

Tick-Borne/epidemiology/*genetics/physiopathology *Gene Deletion Gene Frequency *Genetic Predisposition to Disease Homozygote Humans Lithuania/epidemiology Meningoencephalitis/genetics Receptors

CCR5/*genetics Severity of Illness In

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MEDICIN

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