Complement C4 deficiency and HLA homozygosity in patients with frequent intraoral herpes simplex virus type 1
M Seppänen1, M L Lokki, T Timonen
1Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Helsinki University Central Hospital Helsinki, Finland. mikko.seppanen@hus.fi
Three consecutive patients with no apparent immunodeficiency who had frequent intraoral herpes simplex type 1 recurrences, a rare complication of herpes simplex virus infection, were found to have a total deficiency of either the A or B isotype of the complement component C4 and to be homozygous for the studied HLA antigens. A combination of HLA homozygosity, which may lead to impaired T cell recognition of viral peptides, and deficiency in the classical complement pathway, which can compromise virus neutralization, may predispose to severe and frequent herpes simplex virus infections.
Three consecutive patients with no apparent immunodeficiency who had frequent intraoral herpes simplex type 1 recurrences, a rare complication of herpes simplex virus infection, were found to have a total deficiency of either the A or B isotype of the complement component C4 and to be homozygous for the studied HLA antigens. A combination of HLA homozygosity, which may lead to impaired T cell recognition of viral peptides, and deficiency in the classical complement pathway, which can compromise virus neutralization, may predispose to severe and frequent herpes simplex virus infections.
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