Association between HLA-B* 15:02 and carbamazepine induced severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions in Myanmar

Genetic predisposition to carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) had been reported in several Southeast Asian populations, but not in Myanmar. Previous studies had so far reported more than 70% of CBZ-induced SJS/TEN cases positive for HLA-B*15:02 allele.1-4 Myanmar, as the second largest country in Southeast Asia with a population of 54.5 million, has high HLA-B*15:02 carrier frequency in its general population (27.3- 49.1%).5,6