Association of Serum and Red Cell Phenotypes and Australian Antigen in Down's Syndrome

Hepatitis associated antigen and the ABO locus in Down's syndrome

“…patients, 227 were available for subsequent HAA testing, and 71 were found to be positive for the antigen (31.3 %). This frequency is higher than originally reported (Rundle et al 1975) probably due to the increased sensitivity of the haemagglutination method over the counterelectrophoresis used in that study. Table 1 shows the ABO distribution of the 71 HAA+ and the 156 HAA-D.S.…”

“…when compared with their non-Down's institutionalised peers (Blumberg & Alter 1965, Blumberg et al 1967, Sutnick et al 1968). These findings have been confirmed by a number of studies (Krugman & Giles 1970, Skinhoj et al 1971, Chance 1972, Hollinger et al 1972, Boughton & Hawkes 1973, Rundle et al 1975). Blumberg et al (1970) have suggested that the Down's patients were either uniquely susceptible to the virus or retained the agent chronically due to an inherited immunologic defect possibly involving impaired lymphocyte function.…”

“…In the search for possible associations between serum proteins and HAA we have reported elsewhere on several serum and red cell polymorphic systems (Rundle et al 1975) and were unable to confirm the finding of Rittner & Schwinger (1973) of a possible association between the antigen and the group specific (Gc) protein.…”