Genetic predictors of the response to treatment of chronic hepatitis C

The genome wide association studies have identified a strong association between polymorphisms near IL28B gene and the response to antiviral treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Hepatitis C virus infection is prevalent in patients undergoing hemodialysis. In the book we discussed the possibility of personalized medicine for the treatment of hepatitis C, using the polymorphisms near IL28B gene as genetic predictors of the treatment response in patients with hepatitis C. In this study, we have shown for the first time, that there was an association between the three most widely studied polymorphisms near IL28B gene and treatment response in hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C, treated with pegylated interferon. We also discussed the possible persistence of occult hepatitis C in patients with treatment-induced clearance of hepatitis C virus infection, with the necessity of implementation of assays with high sensitivity, capable of detecting low levels of virus in serum, as only effective approach to the diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection and its long-term persistence.