Human leukocyte antigen class II alleles and natural history of HPV 2/27/57-induced common warts.

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between HLA-DQB1*03 alleles and the risk of cervical cancer induced by human papillomavirus (HPV). As persistence of HPV infection is required for developing cervical cancer, we wanted to elucidate the role of HLA-class II allele polymorphisms in the persistence of common warts induced by HPV 2, HPV 27 or HPV 57. Therefore, we determined the distribution of HLA-DQA1, -DQB1, and -DRB1 alleles in 71 patients presenting with HPV 2/27/57-induced common warts which had persisted for at least 18 months as well as in 92 individuals who had never suffered from common warts or whose warts had healed in less than 18 months.