A preliminary report on the role of some immunologic factors in persistence of chronic tinea pedis

The phenotypic distribution of HLA antigens was investigated in 29 patients with chronic dermatophyte infections and 558 age controls using a microcytoxicity assay. Statistical analysis of data indicated that there was an increased frequency of HLA antigen A26, and AW33. A26 was present in 24% of the patients and 6% of the controls (P= 0·0006). AW33 was present in 14% of the patients and 2% of the controls (P= 0·0002). Intercellular substance (ICS) antibody and IgE assay were performed on these patients. Thirty‐four per cent of the patients produced an ICS antibody and had an increased incidence of A26 (P= 0·002). Sixty‐six per cent of the patients who did not produce an anti‐ICS antibody had an increased frequency of HLA antigen AW33 (P= 0·0002). DR antigens were studied in 26 patients. DR4 was found in 46% of patients but this was not statistically significant. The frequency of the antigen increased to 83% (corrected P value 0·049) in patients with a personal and/or family history of atopy and increased to 86% in patients with high IgE levels (corrected P value 0·016). It appears that several host factors may play an important role in determining and/or perpetuating chronic tinea pedis infection.