The 23andMe cohort identified one SNP for mononucleosis (rs2596465 in HCP5 gene, P = 2.48 × 10−9), two SNP for chickenpox (rs10947050 in RNF39, P = 1.08 × 10−10; rs9266089 in HLA-B, P = 1.00 × 10−10), two SNP for cold sores (rs4360170 in HCP5, P = 3.41 × 10−12; rs885950 in POU5F1, P = 7.47 × 10−13), 15 SNPs for shingles in primary analysis and 13 SNPs in validation (Additional files 2, 3). Here, HLA-B is linked to chickenpox.