HLA -A, -B, -C and -DR antigens in individuals with sensitivity to cobalt.

In a skin investigation of 853 individuals working with hard metal manufacturing 39 cases of cobalt allergy were found. Thirty-five of the individuals with cobalt sensitivity and 102 matched controls were HLA-A, -B, -C and -DR typed. No significantly deviating HLA antigen frequencies were observed when the two groups were compared. Thus, there are no signs that a certain HLA antigen would dispose to cobalt allergy. In the cobalt sensitive group the B7 positive individuals showed particularly often simultaneous reactions to other contact allergens (p = less than 0.025). The B12 positive individuals had low reactivity (p = less than 0.0001) while the A28 positive showed high reactivity (p = less than 0.015).