Immunoglobulin levels in Iraq.

In a study of immunoglobulin levels in 192 apparently healthy individuals in Iraq, regional differences occur in IgE and IgG. The main levels of IgG, IgM and IgA tend to be low, and of IgE clearly elevated. It is suggested that this pattern may be explained by the presence of intestinal parasites which stimulate IgE production. The genetic differences that exist between the regional populations, and the occurrence of associations of immunoglobulin level with several polymorphic systems, suggests the possibility of a genetic element in the regional immunoglobulin differences.