Parvovirus. In one study there was a higher prevalence of antibodies to a virus called parvovirus 19 in patients with systemic sclerosis than in patients without the disorder. The association probably warrants more research.
Hepatitis C. Scleroderma has been reported in some patients with hepatitis C, although a causal relationship is unclear.
Genetic factors appear to play a role in triggering the disease, but most cases are unlikely to be inherited. There are some exceptions. Scientists in 1999 discovered a probable link between the gene for the protein fibrillin-1 and the development of scleroderma in certain populations. The gene was detected in Choctaw Native Americans, who have a higher risk for scleroderma than other groups. Elevated levels of autoantibodies to this protein have also been detected in other ethnic groups, including African American and Japanese patients, but not in Caucasians.
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