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HLA-B*5701 frequency in Chilean HIV-infected patients and in general population
Helena Poggi1, Alejandra Vera, Marcela Lagos
1Department of Clinical Laboratories, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. hpoggi@med.puc.cl
Insights
HLA-B*5701 screening prevents abacavir hypersensitivity in HIV patients. This study found a 2% carrier frequency in the Chilean general population, recommending pre-treatment screening for HIV-infected individuals.
Area of Science:
- Human genetics
- Immunology
- Virology
Background:
- HLA-B*5701 screening is crucial for preventing abacavir hypersensitivity in HIV-infected patients.
- Population-specific prevalence data for HLA-B*5701 is essential for effective screening strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the carrier frequency of HLA-B*5701 in the general Chilean population.
- To ascertain the HLA-B*5701 carrier frequency among HIV-infected patients in Chile referred for typing.
Main Methods:
- Sequence-specific primer PCR was used to screen 300 blood bank donors and 492 abacavir-naïve HIV-infected patients.
- Allele frequency was calculated based on positive B*5701 findings.
Main Results:
- HLA-B*5701 allele frequency was 2% in the general Chilean population (4.7% B*57-positive).
- Eleven out of 492 (2.2%) HIV-infected patients carried the HLA-B*5701 allele.
- A slightly lower frequency in HIV patients may relate to slower disease progression in carriers.
Conclusions:
- The prevalence of HLA-B*5701 in Chile supports routine screening.
- Validated methods and established prevalence justify HLA-B*5701 typing for Chilean HIV patients initiating abacavir.
Abstract:
It has been demonstrated that HLA-B*5701 screening reduces the risk for hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir in HIV-infected patients. Since B*5701 prevalence varies among different populations, it is important to determine the carrier frequency prior to its use for the screening of HIV-infected patients.The aim of this study was to determine HLA-B*5701 carrier frequency in Chilean general population and HIV-infected patients referred for B*5701 typing. For that purpose 300 blood bank donors and 492 abacavir-naïve HIV-infected patients from Chile were screened for B*5701 by a sequence specific primer PCR.We detected 14/300 (4.7%) B*57-positive individuals in the Chilean general population, 11 (3.7%) were B*5701 positive, and 3 (1%) had another subtype.All were heterozygous,thus a B*5701 allele frequency of 2% was determined.Eleven of 492 (2.2 %) HIV-patients carried a B*5701 allele. The difference between these frequencies is probably due to slow progression of HIV infection in HLA-B*5701 carriers, thus less patients would require antiretroviral therapy and B*5701 typing. Considering the usefulness of B*5701 screening, its prevalence in the Chilean general population,and the availability of a validated method,we conclude that HLA-B*5701 typing in Chilean HIV-infected patients about to initiate abacavir treatment is strongly recommended.
