The ?F508 mutation in Ecuador, South America

Resumen

There are few reports about the incidence of the ΔF508 mutation in Latin American countries. We show the study of the ΔF508 mutation and the seven most common “European” mutations in 10 Ecuadorian CF affecteds. The incidence of ΔF508 mutation found was 25% and none of the other seven was detected in our population, which indicates that at least 60% of the mutations in the studied population are different from most common in Europe. Similar data have been reported in other Amerindian populations, therefore it is suggested that Cystic Fibrosis in Ecuador—and other Amerindian countries in Latin America—have a different ethiology than that of Caucasian populations. Hum Mutat 14:348–350, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.