Updating the frequency of CCR5Δ32 in Brazil: Descriptive analysis of malaria cases and controls from Acre State, Amazon region

This study updates data on the distribution of CCR5Δ32 allele frequency in populations from Brazilian states. CCR5Δ32 is a variant allele of the CCR5 gene, which prevents (in homozygosity) or reduces (in heterozygosity) the expression of the CCR5 protein on the surface of leukocytes, being an important factor in infectious diseases. Also, this study reports the frequency of CCR5Δ32 in women from the state of Acre, located in the Brazilian Amazon, a region where the Δ32 allele and malaria are observed concurrently. We found allele frequencies of 2.88% in Plasmodium-infected women and of 1.04% among uninfected women. The low Δ32 allele frequencies observed in Acre, compared to other Brazilian regions, could be a reflection of the particular ancestry patterns in current Amazonian populations influenced by past European colonization.