ENDEMIC PEMPHIGUS FOLIACEUS (FOGO SELVAGEM) IN NATIVE-AMERICANS FROM BRAZIL

Background: Fogo selvagem (FS) is an autoimmune disease that is endemi c in certain regions of Brazil and appears to be precipitated by an en vironmental factor. Objective: Our purpose was to confirm the occurren ce and prevalence of FS in a population of Xavante Indians living in a n endemic region of central Brazil. Methods: Clinical, anthropologic, and immunologic studies were carried out in patients and in normal inh abitants of the Pimentel Barbosa Indian Reservation, Mate Grosso, Braz il. Results: FS was identified and confirmed in 10 patients from a pat ient pool of 295 with various skin diseases. The Xavante settlement ha s a total population of 746. Anti-desmoglein 1 autoantibodies were det ected in all patients with FS and were absent from more than 300 serum samples collected from randomly selected unaffected persons. Conclusi on: FS is strongly linked to outdoor activities and is largely restric ted to immuno-genetically predisposed persons. FS appears to have been endemic in certain regions of South America for several centuries.