Background/aim: To determine the relationship between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antigens and osteoarticular brucellosis by evaluating HLA Class I and II antigens in control subjects and patients developing osteoarticular brucellosis in Turkey.Materials and methods: The study included 28 patients with osteoarticular involvement diagnosed with brucellosis and 100 controls. The HLA Class I and II antigens were studied in isolated DNA samples using sequence-specific oligonucleotide procedure.Results: The mean age of the 28 patients and 100 controls was 42.3 $\pm$ 20.2 years and 50.1 $\pm$ 16.3 years, respectively. When the frequency of HLA Class I was examined, HLA-A*02 and HLA-B*27 antigens were detected in 50% and 28.57% of the patients, respectively. However, there was no significant difference when compared to the control group. Among the HLA Class I antigens, HLA-Cw*10 was determined in 35.71% of the patients and 17% of the controls; the difference was significant (P = 0.039).Conclusion: In the development of brucellosis, the frequency of HLA-Cw*10 among HLA Class I antigens was observed to be increased, and HLA-Cw*10 was considered likely to cause predisposition to brucellosis. Further studies to be performed on a higher number of patients and controls could demonstrate that genetic factors play a role in the diagnosis of osteoarticular brucellosis.