GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CHOLERA

In the course of studies of immunity to experimental cholera in man, 105 or 106 Vibrio cholerae were given to 66 college students and other community volunteers under quarantine in an isolation ward. HLA antigen and blood group determinations were carried out to test the hypothesis that severity of clinical cholera is dependent in part upon genetically-determined host susceptibility. Fifty-five volunteers developed diarrhoea; 38 had mild illness and 17 had severe cholera (stool volume ≥ 5·0 litres). HLA antigens were found in similar frequency in volunteers with severe, mild or no diarrhoea; antigens A1, A2, A3 and B7 were most common. Blood group O, however, was found in 64% of persons with severe cholera versus 36-38% of volunteers with mild or absent illness. Thus, while no correlation was found between HLA type and severity of cholera, these results do support the claims of other investigators that blood group O is found more frequently in patients with severe cholera than in the normal population. © 1979 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.