Meta‐analyses indicate that specific HLA class II alleles, including HLA‐DRB1*07 and HLA‐DQA1‐DQB1 (susceptibility haplotypes), versus HLA‐DRB1*15 (a protective allele), confer genetic predisposition to manifestations of rheumatic fever, including rheumatic heart disease and SC [3, 4]. Here, HLA-DRB1 is linked to rheumatic fever.