African HLA Diversity and Its Implications for Transfusion, Transplantation, Infectious-Disease Immunity, Vaccination and Pharmacogenomics
Keywords:
HLA, Africa, Immunogenetics, Transfusion, platelet refractoriness, transplantation, infectiousdisease immunity, vaccination, pharmacogenomicsAbstract
The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system shapes antigen presentation, alloimmune recognition and variation in immune responses. African populations harbour extensive HLA diversity, but remain underrepresented in high-resolution reference datasets and international donor resources, constraining the clinical interpretation and application of this diversity. This review examines the relevance of African HLA variation to transfusion medicine, transplantation, infectious-disease immunity, vaccination and pharmacogenomics. In transfusion practice, HLA alloimmunisation contributes to immune platelet transfusion refractoriness and may complicate the identification of compatible platelet products. In haematopoietic stem-cell and solid-organ transplantation, population-specific HLA frequencies and haplotypes influence donor matching, while HLA antibodies and donor-specific antibodies are important determinants of compatibility and transplant outcomes. African studies of malaria, HIV, tuberculosis and vaccine responses further demonstrate associations between HLA variation and pathogen-specific immunity, disease susceptibility or control, and variation in vaccine-induced antibody responses. Pharmacogenomic studies illustrate an additional clinical application, although evidence for several actionable HLA–drug associations remain limited across many African populations. Collectively, these findings highlight the need for population-resolved HLA datasets linked to clinical and immunological phenotypes. We propose an integrated African HLA framework connecting high-resolution population characterization with histocompatibility services, antibody testing, HLA-typed platelet and stem-cell donor resources, clinically annotated biobanks, functional immunology, pathogen–HLA–epitope studies and pharmacogenomic evidence. Strengthening these interconnected resources could support safer transfusion, improved transplantation, population-informed vaccine research, pharmacogenomic implementation and the development of emerging cellular therapies in African settings
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2026 Caroline MANGARE
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
All content published in the Journal of Clinical Care and Medical Advancement is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). This license ensures that published work is freely accessible and allows for the sharing and adaptation of the content under the following conditions:
1. Attribution
- Users must provide appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the journal. This includes citing the article title, author names, journal name, volume/issue, and DOI (if available).
- Attribution must not imply endorsement by the author(s) or the journal unless explicitly agreed upon.
2. NonCommercial Use
- Content may not be used for commercial purposes. Any use that involves monetary gain, commercial distribution, or resale of the material is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from the journal or the copyright holder(s).
3. Adaptations and Derivatives
- Users are allowed to create adaptations, modifications, and derivative works based on the content, provided they comply with the attribution and non-commercial terms.
- Any adaptations must indicate that changes were made to the original work, and the original author(s) must still be credited appropriately.
4. No Additional Restrictions
- Users are not permitted to impose legal or technological restrictions on others that prevent them from exercising the rights granted under this license.
5. Exceptions and Permissions
- For uses beyond the scope of the CC BY-NC 4.0 license, such as commercial use or sublicensing, explicit permission must be obtained from the journal or the original author(s).
- Authors retain the copyright of their works and may enter into separate agreements for non-exclusive distribution, provided that the original publication in this journal is acknowledged.
6. License Notice
- All articles will include a clear notice indicating that they are published under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license. Example:
“This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.”
7. Author Rights and Obligations
- Authors retain the copyright to their works but grant the journal the right to publish and distribute the content under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license.
- Authors must ensure that their submissions do not infringe on the copyright of third parties and that all necessary permissions are obtained for any copyrighted material included in their work.
