There are substantial differences in immune-mediated disease prevalence between different countries and populations which cannot be explained by genetic variability.
To compare the prevalence of antinuclear (ANA), antimitochondrial, antireticulin, liver-kidney microsomal, parietal cell, thyroid microsomal and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibodies among adults aged 20-44 years in two towns, i.e. in Tartu, Estonia (n = 448) and in Uppsala, Sweden (n = 532) with a low and a high prevalence of allergy.
For autoantibody detection, standard indirect immunofluorescence tests on tissue and Chritidia lucilia antigenic preparations were used (sera were diluted starting from 1:10).
The prevalence of ANA was lower in Tartu than in Uppsala (3 vs. 10% among males and 11 vs. 16% among females; p