HLA antigen frequency in erythema multiforme and in recurrent herpes simplex.

In this study the HLA antigen frequency was determined in a group of patients with erythema multiforme and in a separate group of patients with recurrent herpes simplex to establish whether either disease had any antigens whose frequency deviated from that of a normal population. The frequency of HLA-B15 was significantly increased in both patient groups (P less than 0.5). The increase in the erythema multiforme group does not appear to be due to the fact that some of the erythema multiforme patients have associated herpes simplex and this increase remained significant after further correction for the number of antigens tested.