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HLA-B*5701 testing to predict abacavir hypersensitivity

PLoS Curr. 2010 December 7; 2: RRN1203.

doi:  10.1371/currents.RRN1203

PMCID: PMC3000684

Evidence on Genomic Tests

HLA-B*5701 testing to predict abacavir hypersensitivity

Joseph D. Ma,^* Kelly C. Lee,^† and Grace M. Kuo^†

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Abstract

Abacavir is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used for combination antiretroviral therapy for treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. An adverse effect from abacavir is a treatment-limiting hypersensitivity reaction, which can be severe and potentially life-threatening. Abacavir-induced hypersensitivity reaction has been associated with the presence of the major histocompatibility complex class I allele HLA-B*5701. A screening test for the HLA-B*5701 allele can assist clinicians to identify patients who are at risk of developing a hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir.