Autoimmune liver disease and the Canadian first nations Aboriginal communities of British Columbia's Pacific NorthWest

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a well-known but uncommon chronic liver disease that is presumed to be of autoimmune etiology. Recently, investigations in British Columbia (BC), a province of Canada situated along the Pacific North-West of North America, have suggested that PBC is not a rare disease amongst BCs Aboriginal (i.e. First Nations) communities. Geographically, BC is adjacent to South East Alaska, an American state that has also reported an increased prevalence of PBC amongst its Aboriginal communities. In this article, the medical evidence supporting a hypothesis of increased risk of PBC amongst BCs First Nations communities is reviewed. Evidence suggesting that autoimmune hepatitis is also more likely amongst BCs First Nations communities is also presented. (c) 2006 The WJG Press. All rights reserved.