OBJECTIVE: Different Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) types are linked with different clinical manifestations

of Hepatitis B virus infection. However, the association of HLA with different stages of the Hepatitis

B infected population in Kathmandu, Nepal, is not yet known.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: To understand the relationship between HLA class I (A, B, C) and HLA Class

II (DR, DQ) molecules, DNA and data on clinical history, serology, liver enzymes and copy number of the

virus in the blood samples were collected for 90 hepatitis B infected patients (including 30 immune active,

30 immune tolerant and 30 acute patients) matched to 90 healthy control individuals for HLA. Human

DNA was sequenced by next-generation sequencing.

RESULTS: Significantly higher frequencies of the HLA A*11, HLA A*68, HLA B*15, HLA C*04 and HLA

DR*15 alleles were found in patients as compared to healthy controls. In healthy controls were more

frequently found HLA A*01, A*33, B*07, B*27, B*55, C*01, C*15 and DR*04 positive (p < 0.05). HLAC*

04 (p = 0.002) was significantly higher in immune active chronic patients.

CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the HLA allele frequency distribution and diversity in Hepatitis B infected

population and healthy controls in Kathmandu, Nepal. This information could also be useful as a marker

in various stages of Hepatitis B virus infection for better treatment and management of the disease on a

local basis.