HLA Antigens in cardiomyopathic Chilean chagasics

The distribution of HLA antigens in a sample of 124 Chagas serologically positive Chilean individuals was studied. The sample was subdivided according to the presence or absence of chagasic cardiomyopathy, in order to search for genetic differences associated with this pathological condition. The frequency of antigen B40 in the presence of antigen Cw3 was found to be significantly lower in subjects with cardiomyopathy. We tentatively suggest that the presence of these antigens noncardiomyopathics is associated with a decreased susceptibility to develop chagasic cardiomyopathy in the Chilean population.