BACKGROUND Endemic pemphigus foliaceus (EPF) is an autoimmune disease, classically occurring in a restricted geographic area. Foci of EPF have been described in several Central and South American countries, often affecting young people and Amerindians, with some female predilection. Although most American EPF cases have been documented in Brazil, cases have been reported in Peru, Paraguay, El S...

We report here a relationship between intramolecular epitope spreading and the clinical onset of the endemic form of pemphigus foliaceus in a Brazilian community with a high prevalence and incidence of the disease. Also known as Fogo Selvagem (FS), this disease is characterized by severe skin blistering and pathogenic anti-desmoglein-1 (Dsg1) autoantibodies. These autoantibodies bind the Dsg1 e...

INTRODUCTION Autoimmune pemphigus diseases comprise several entities with serious prognoses, including the pemphigus vulgaris (PV) group and pemphigus foliaceus (PF) group. Antihypertensives are suspected to be one of the factors triggering/sustaining pemphigus. Here, the data of pemphigus patients regarding arterial hypertension (AH) and taking potentially noxious drugs were statistically anal...