HLA-DRB1 allele in 35 patients with alveolar echinococcosis in Gansu Province of China.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1 alleles and alveolar echinococcosis (AE).


METHODS
Thirty-five patients with AE in high prevalence areas in Gansu Province of China were tested for the HLA-DRB1 gene using the polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) technique. The results were compared with those of 104 healthy individuals.


RESULTS
The frequency of the HLA-DRB1 * 040x gene was 26% in the patient group, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (9.62%) with a relative risk (RR) of 4.45 (chi(2) = 13.67, P < 0.01), and an etiological fraction (EF) of 0.20. The frequency of the HLA-DRB1 * 0701 allele was significantly lower in the patient group (2.86%) as compared to the control group (13.94%; chi(2) = 6.67, P < 0.05) with a preventable fraction (PF) of 0.30. The frequencies of other DRB1 alleles were not significantly different.


CONCLUSIONS
Susceptibility to AE is significantly associated with the HLA-DRB1 * 040x. HLA-DRB1 * 0701 gene might confer protection against AE in humans.
Clinic Medical Research Center, Shenzhen People's Hospital, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Ji'nan University, Shenzhen 518020, China. frli@hotmail.com
Furong
F
Li
Youen
Y
Shi
Dazhong
D
Shi
Dominique Angele
DA
Vuitton
Philip Simon
PS
Craig
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains