title: Interferon lambda 3 genotype predicts hepatitis C virus RNA levels in early acute infection among people who inject drugs: the InC(3) study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA level in acute HCV infection is predictive of spontaneous clearance. This study assessed factors associated with HCV RNA levels during early acute infection among people who inject drugs with well-defined acute HCV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were from International Collaboration of Incident HIV and Hepatitis C in Injecting Cohorts (InC(3)) Study, an international collaboration of nine prospective cohorts studying acute HCV infection. Individuals with available HCV RNA levels during early acute infection (first two months following infection) were included. The distribution of HCV RNA levels during early acute infection were compared by selected host and virological factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 195 individuals were included. Median HCV RNA levels were significantly higher among individuals with interferon lambda 3 (IFNL3, formerly called IL28B) CC genotype compared to those with TT/CT genotype (6.28 vs. 5.39logIU/mL, respectively; P=0.01). IFNL3 CC genotype was also associated with top tertile HCV RNA levels (≥6.3log IU/mL; vs. TT/CT genotype; adjusted Odds Ratio: 4.28; 95%CI: 2.01, 9.10; P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that IFNL3 CC genotype predicts higher HCV RNA levels in early acute HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: bhajarizadeh@kirby.unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Behzad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hajarizadeh
authors.affiliation: Cluster Infectious Diseases, GGD Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grady
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Page
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Arthur Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Tufts Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Abbvie, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: McGovern
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.affiliation: Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sacks-Davis
authors.affiliation: CRCHUM, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bruneau
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Meghan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Janaki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Janke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schinkel
authors.affiliation: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Applegate
authors.affiliation: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maher
authors.affiliation: Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hellard
authors.affiliation: Inflammation and Infection Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.affiliation: Cluster Infectious Diseases, GGD Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.affiliation: Cluster Infectious Diseases, GGD Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ronald B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Geskus
authors.affiliation: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.affiliation: The Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grebely
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; D012367:RNA, Viral; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
keywords: Acute HCV; Cohort study; IFNL3 genotype; IL28B genotype; Viral load