Abacavir hypersensitivity reaction: The first case report in Thailand and literature review

Abstract

Abacavir-related hypersensitivity reaction (ABC-HSR) is a life-threatening condition. The incidence is low since it could have been prevented by screening with blood test for HLA-B*5701, which is strongly associated with this reaction. However, the affordability for the HLA-B*5701 screening test is still a challenging issue in many developing countries. Thai National Health Security Office (NHSO) recommends either using HLA-B*5701 as a screening test or monitoring clinical presentation for ABC-HSR after using it. Therefore, the clinical presentation of ABC-HSR should be acknowledged for the diagnosis of this condition and death prevention. This was the first reported case and literature reviewed of ABC-HSR associated with the presence of the HLA-B*5701 allele in Thailand. © JOURNAL OF THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF THAILAND | 2021