Association of HLA-Class I antigens and haplotypes with relapse of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients treated with short-course chemotherapy.

Selvaraj, P. ; Uma, H.; Reetha, A.M.; Theresa Xavier; Venkatesan, P.; Prabhakar, R.; Narayanan, P.R.

Indian Journal of Tuberculosis; 1997; 44; 9-12.

Whether or not there is an association between HLA antigen(s) and/or haplotypes and relapse in patients successfully treated for pulmonary tuberculosis was examined. Serological determination of HLA-A, -B, -DR and -DQ antigens was carried out in patients with quiescent pulmonary tuberculosis and bacteriologically relapsed patients, after treatment with short course chemotherapy with Rifampicin, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide and Streptomycin or Ethambutol in various combinations for 6-8 month. An increased antigen frequency of HLA-A1 (p=0.03) and B17 was seen in patients with bacteriological relapse compared with those with quiescent disease. The relative risks (RR) were A1=2.8 and B17 = 3.2, respectively. The haplotypes A1-B17 (RR=3.3), B17=DR7 (RR=3.0), A1-DR7 (p=0.04; RR=9.3) were very common in patients with bacteriological relapse. This increase of HLA-A1, B17 antigens or the haplotypes A1-B17, B17-DR7 or A1-DR7 (p=0.04) was seen irrespective of the treatment regimen. The present study suggests that HLA-A1 (and-B17) antigen(s), as such, and/or haplotypes A1-DR7 or non-HLA genes linked closer to HLA-A, -B and -DR loci may be associated with relapse of pulmonary tuberculosis, after chemotherapy.

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