title: Natural history and clinical response: "it's the virus, stupid, or is it the host?".
abstract: A major goal of modern medicine is the application of personalized therapies, consisting of decisions and practices tailored to the individual patient. Information about genetic variants, either mutant or polymorphic, represents the basis for the development of this clinical approach. Recently, several independent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the IL28B locus associated with HCV containment, spontaneous clearance, treatment response, and disease progression. In this minireview we will concisely discuss some critical genetic concepts that may have possible implications for clinical decisions in the treatment of HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Genetica Medica, Policlinico Universitario Mater Domini, Università Magna Græcia di Catanzaro, Campus S, Venuta, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nucara
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caroleo
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guadagnino
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Perrotti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trapasso
mesh_terms: D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda