2009/04/01 by Jenefer M. Blackwell, Sarra E. Jamieson, David Burgner · 1 citation
Immunology and Microbiology · Medicine · #Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research #HIV Research and Treatment #Immunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders
paper · pdf · doi:10.1128/cmr.00048-08
openalex publication_date 2009/04/01 · openalex created_date 2022/02/13 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Following their discovery in the early 1970s, classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci have been the prototypical candidates for genetic susceptibility to infectious disease. Indeed, the original hypothesis for the extreme variability observed at HLA loci (H-2 in mice) was the major selective pressure from infectious diseases. Now that both the human genome and the molecular basis of innate and acquired immunity are understood in greater detail, do the classical HLA loci still stand out as major genes that determine susceptibility to infectious disease? This review looks afresh at the evidence supporting a role for classical HLA loci in susceptibility to infectious disease, examines the limitations of data reported to date, and discusses current advances in methodology and technology that will potentially lead to greater understanding of their role in infectious diseases in the future.