FcγRIIa and FcγRIIIb polymorphisms were not associated with meningococcal disease in Western Norway

Abstract

Fcγ-receptor (FcγR) polymorphisms have been associated with acquisition and severity of invasive meningococcal disease. We studied FcγR polymorphisms in a population with a high incidence of meningococcal disease. Fifty meningococcal disease patients aged 14-60 years, with bacteriologically confirmed disease and without detected complement deficiency, together with 100 healthy adult controls were included in the study. Clinical and bacteriological data were collected prior to FcγRIIa and FcγRIIIb genotyping, which was performed by polymerase chain reaction. The distribution of the FcγRIIa and FcγRIIIb allotypes and their allele frequencies were not significantly different amongst the patients and the controls. The combination FcγRIIa-R/R and FcγRIIIb-Na2/Na2 was less common among patients than controls (OR =0.11, Fisher's exact P=0.05). No significant association was found between the two FcγRs and severity of disease, meningococcal serogroup, age groups or gender. In contrast to previous findings, our study indicates that in Norwegian teenagers and adults, the FcγRIIa and FcγRIIIb allotypes are not decisive for the acquisition or for the severity of meningococcal disease.