Genetic variation in IL28B and treatment-induced clearance of hepatitis C virus in HIV-positive patients with acute and chronic hepatitis C.

Recently, a IL28B (rs 12979860) gene polymorphism was identified as a predictor for response to hepatitis C virus-specific treatment in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-uninfected and -infected patients with chronic hepatitis C. In an analysis of HIV-infected patients with acute hepatitis C, we found that the IL28B genotype was associated with serum levels of hepatitis C virus RNA, g-GT, and CD4 cell count. In contrast to HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C, the IL28B genotype was not significantly associated with treatment response rates in patients with acute hepatitis C. Thus, effects of the IL28B single-nucleotide polymorphism may differ in HIV-infected patients with chronic and acute hepatitis C.