Genes predict allergies to drug

From Seattle, at the 9th Annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections

Genetic differences among people infected with HIV might help identify the 5 percent of patients who will suffer allergic reactions, ranging from rashes to anaphylactic shock, when given the antiretroviral drug abacavir.

A team of Australian researchers used a genetic test to look for variants of the proteins that make up the part of the immune system called the major histocompatibility complex.