Hydatidosis constitutes a major public health problem in kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The variability on susceptibility to
hydatidosis has been related to the HLA system. So this study aimed to identifying the possible association between the class-II
HLA-DRB1 alleles with the occurrence of
hydatidosis and the
clinical course in Saudi patients using Micro SSP
HLA-DRB1 kits. Since HLA-disease associations might vary in relation to gender, so this study aims also to determining the
HLA-DRB1 alleles-
hydatidosis association in relation to gender. The results proved that
HLA-DR16 and
HLA-DR7 alleles were the suitable markers of susceptibility association while
HLA-DR1 and
HLA-DR10 alleles might confer protection against
hydatidosis. All the previous susceptible and resistance associations were statistically significant. Also, the majority of the female patients (81.8%) had
HLA-DR14 compared to 9.1% of female controls while 50% of the male patients had
HLA-DR7 compared to 4.5% of male controls. These results were statistically associated and this is the first study that found an association between certain HLA-
DRB 1 alleles and the occurrence of human
hydatidosis in relation to gender. Also, significant relations were detected between
HLA-DR16 and hepatic and single
cyst,
HLA-DR7 and lung
cyst,
HLA-DR14 and combined
cysts. Also, no statistical significance was found between other cystic characteristics and any one of the susceptible HLA-DRBs. On conclusion beside the role HLA-
DRB 1 on the susceptibility or the resistance to
hydatidosis disease occurrence among Saudi population also it may have an important role in the prevalence of the disease in relation to gender.