Prevalence of Human Leukocyte Antigen HLA-B*57:01 in Individuals with HIV in West and Central Africa

Abstract Background: The presence of the human leukocyte antigen HLA-B*57:01 is associated with the development of a hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir (ABC). Limited data exist on HLA-B*57:01 prevalence in individuals with HIV-1 in Africa. This study aimed to estimate HLA-B*57:01 prevalence in individuals with HIV-1 in West and Central Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four countries in West and central Africa (Burkina-Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, and Togo) from January 2016 to February 2020 to determine the status of HLA-B*5701 in adults with HIV-1. The presence of HLA-B*57:01 was determined by using Single Specific Primer-Polymerase Chain Reaction (SSP-PCR) in blood samples. Prevalence rates were stratified based on country. Results: A total of 4,016 (69.8% women) individuals with HIV were enrolled. Their median age was 45, and the interquartile range was 38-52. We included 500 (12.4%) patients in Burkina-Faso, 1,453 (36.2%) in Côte d’Ivoire, 951 (23.7%) in Gabon, and 1,112 (27.7%) in Togo. The overall HLA-B*57:01 prevalence was 0.1% [95% CI: 0.0–0.2%]. The prevalence of HLA-B*57:01 was similar according to the four countries. Only one case was reported in each country except Togo, with no cases.Conclusions: HLA-B*57:01 prevalence is low in individuals with HIV in West and central Africa, and there is no difference among countries. This study does not confirm the utility of HLA-B*57:01 allele testing in this region.