Anti-malarials and Lupus in West Africa use and lupus in Africans

The underlying cause of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is not fully understood but is thought to be due to a complex mixture of genes producing a genetic predisposition, which is influenced by environmental factors. A marked ethnic and geographic variance in the prevalence and severity of SLE is...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Lupus 2009-03, Vol.18 (3), p.193-195
Main Authors: Westlake, SL, Edwards, CJ
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
African Continental Ancestry Group
Animals
Antimalarials - therapeutic use
Chloroquine - therapeutic use
Disease
Drugs
Environment
Genetic Predisposition to Disease
Humans
Lupus
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - drug therapy
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - physiopathology
Malaria
Malaria - drug therapy
Viral infections
White people
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The underlying cause of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is not fully understood but is thought to be due to a complex mixture of genes producing a genetic predisposition, which is influenced by environmental factors. A marked ethnic and geographic variance in the prevalence and severity of SLE is seen around the world. The highest prevalence, and greatest severity of disease, is seen in individuals with African and Afro-Caribbean ethnic backgrounds resident in North America or Europe. Despite this, SLE is rarely described in West Africa from where most migrant African and Afro-Caribbean populations originated. The high parasitic load in Africa has been thought to be protective against the development of autoimmune diseases. Malaria is very prevalent in parts of Africa as is the use of anti-malarial drugs, particularly chloroquine. Recent research has suggested that use of hydroxychloroquine may delay the onset of SLE. This raises the intriguing possibility that the frequent use of chloroquine to treat malaria in West Africa may delay the onset and reduce the severity of SLE in populations resident in these areas.
ISSN:0961-2033
1477-0962
DOI:10.1177/0961203308098383