[Role of HLA-DR and HLA-DQ alleles in multibacillary leprosy and paucibacillary leprosy in the province of Chaco (Argentina)].

OBJECTIVES: Segregation analyses in several populations have suggested a relationship between specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles and the development of different types of leprosy. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of HLA class II DR and DQ alleles among leprosy patients in Chaco province, northeast Argentina, in an effort to determine whether these alleles might be involved in the development of the multibacillary (MB) and paucibacillary (PB) forms of leprosy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Samples from 89 leprosy patients (MB = 70, PB = 19) and 112 healthy control subjects were analyzed. The HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 alleles were determined by PCR amplification and reverse hybridization with sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes, and analyzed with the INNO-LiPA typing system and LiPA software. DQB1*0201/0202/0203 in patients with MB leprosy and DRB1*04 in patients with PB leprosy were detected at significantly lower frequencies as compared with the normal controls.

RESULTS: These data indicate that DQB1* 0201/0202/0203 may be a protective factor in MB leprosy and DRB1*04 in PB leprosy.

DISCUSSION: We attribute the differences between our findings and those of other authors to the fact that the Caucasian inhabitants of Chaco include a considerable mixture of South American natives (Guaraníes and Tobas).