Association of HLA-A and -B alleles with syphilis in Shandong Han population

Objective To investigate the association of HLA-A and -B alleles with syphilis in 5handong Han population. Methods The allele frequencies of HLA-A and -B were detected in 205 patients with syphilis and 5944 normal human controls by PCR-sequence specific oligouueleotide probe （PCR-SSOP） method. Results The patients with syphilis showed a higher frequency of HLA-A＊02, B＊15, B＊40 alleles （all P 〈 0.01, Pc 〈 0.05） and a lower frequency of HLA-A＊26 allele （P = 0.003, Pe = 0.039） than the normal human controls did. There was an increased frequency of HLA-B＊15 and B＊40 alleles in patients with symptomatic syphilis （both P 〈 0.01, Pc 〈 0.05 ）, as well as an elevated frequency of HLA-A＊02, 11, 29, B＊ 15 and 40 alleles （all P 〈 0.01, Pe 〈 0.05） and a decreased frequency of HLA-A＊30 and 33 in patients with asymptomatie syphilis （P -= 0.002, 0.026, Pc = 0.001, 0.013 respectively）, compared with the normal human controls. The frequency of HLA-A＊30 allele was significantly higher in patients with symptomatic syphilis than in those with asymptomatie syphilis （P = 0.001, Pc = 0.013）. Conclusions There seems to he an association between HLA-A＊02, B＊15 and B＊40 alleles and syphilis, between HLA-A＊30 allele and symptomic syphilis, and between HLA-A＊02, 11 and 29 alleles and asymptomatic syphilis, in Shandong Han population. Key words: Syphilis;  HLA antigens;  Alleles