Leonard JN, Haffenden GP, Tucker WF, Unsworth DJ, Sidgwick A, Swain AF, Fry L.
DOI: 10.2340/0001555563252254

Out of 109 patients with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) only one was known to have a first-degree relative with the disease. This is in keeping with previous reports that the familial incidence of DH is low. Study of the family in which two siblings were affected showed both to have HLA-B9 whereas a third, unaffected sibling did not have this antigen. This finding supports the view that both genetic and environmental factors are involved in the pathogenesis of DH, 20 first-degree relatives of 10 other patients with DH had skin biopsies examined by immunofluorescence for the presence of IgA, but none proved positive.