SUSCEPTIBILITY TO HIV-INFECTION AND AIDS IN ITALIAN HEMOPHILIACS IS HLA ASSOCIATED

Summary. We compared the frequencies of HLA antigens in two matched groups of 31 HIV‐seronegative and 31 HIV‐seropositive haemophiliacs, exposed during the years 1981–85 to comparable amounts and batches of presumably infectious clotting factor concentrates. The frequency of A2 was significantly higher in HIV‐seropositive than in seronegative haemophiliacs, with a relative risk (RR) of seroconversion of 3–92, whereas both Bw52 and DR4 were negatively associated with it. We also studied the distribution of HLA antigens in a larger group of 76 HIV‐seropositive haemophiliacs, who were at different clinical stages of HIV infection (CDC classes II‐IV) but were comparable for age and time elapsed since seroconversion. DR3 and DQw2 antigens were, particularly when concomitantly present, associated with a high risk of developing symptomatic HIV infection (RR = 11.79 and 25.33). Our data suggest that the HLA region controls susceptibility to infection with HIV and its progression to symptomatic disease in Italian haemophiliacs. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved