Oligotyping for HLA-DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1 specificities has been performed on PCR-amplified DNA from 55 Italian celiac children, living in Rome, and 50 blood donors. 52.6% of CD patients were DR3;DQA1*0501; DQB1*0201 - positive versus 14% of controls (RR = 6.85) and 34.5% were DR5,7; DQA1*0501; DQB1*0201 - positive versus of controls (RR = 25.86). 7 patients (12.7%) were negative for the DQA1*0501/B1*0201 dimer: 3 of them were DR4 (5.4%) and the others typed as DR1,5; 1,7; 5,7 and w6.7. No patient was negative for both DQA1*0501 and DQB1*0201 alleles.