Human leukocyte antigen class I haplotypes of human immunodeficiency virus–1–infected persons on Likoma Island, Malawi

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allele frequencies vary between different human populations, with implications both for the evolutionary pressures shaping those populations as well as for the outcome of new infectious epidemics. We defined HLA class I types in a well-described cohort of persons on Likoma Island in Malawi, a population for which there are lacking data on allelic frequencies. The profile of HLA frequencies was similar but phylogenetically distinct from those of other sub-Saharan African populations in neighboring regions. The most common A alleles included A30, A23, A28 (A*68), and A2, and the most common B alleles included B15 (group), B53, B58, and B44. Notably, the frequency of B53, which is protective against malaria, was similar to that of other malaria-endemic African countries, and higher than that in countries with less malaria. This is the first reported significant dataset of HLA class I allelic frequencies in Malawians.