Can HLA type I and II alleles presence be associated with the clinical
spectrum of CHIKV infection?
Abstract
Host immune response as well as virulence factors are key in disease
susceptibility. There are no known association studies of HLA class I
and II alleles with chikungunya (CHIKV) infection in Latin American
population. We aim to identify Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) alleles
present in patients with CHIKV infection when compared to healthy
controls, as well as allele association with the clinical spectrum of
the disease. A cross-sectional analysis nested in a community cohort was
carried out. We included patients 18 years and older with serological
confirmation of CHIKV infection. HLA typing of HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-DRB1
alleles was performed. Two-by-two tables were used to establish
associations between allele presence and clinical characteristics. Data
from 65 patients with confirmed CHIKV infection were analyzed for HLA
typing. CHIKV infection was associated with the presence of HLA-A*68,
HLA-B*35, HLA-DRB*01, HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-DRB1*13 alleles with
statistical significance when compared to healthy subjects. A
statistically significant relationship was found between the presence of
rash in the face or the abdomen and the presence of HLA-DRB1*04. Our
study demonstrated that in our cohort, HLA type I as well as type II
alleles are associated with CHIKV infection, and specifically an HLA
type II allele with dermatological symptoms. Further research is needed
to set a path for future investigation on genes outside the HLA system
to improve knowledge in the pathophysiology of CHIKV infection and its
host-pathogen interaction.