Analysis of sustained responders in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C with interferon: viral clearance is more associated with genotype III or IV (2a, 2b) than genotype II (1b)

Abstract Eighty-three patients with chronic hepatitis C were treated with interferon (IFN) for 6 months and followed up for another 6 months. Fifteen (18%) showed sustained normalization of serum alanine-aminotransferase (ALT) levels throughout the 6-month follow-up period. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA was tested in sera from these ‘sustained responders (SR)’ at the end of the follow-up period, and was positive in nine and negative in six. All of the six RNA-negative SR cases had viral genotype III (2a) or IV (2b) in pretreatment sera, whereas most of the RNA-positive SR cases (7 of 9) had genotype II (1b). Our results thus suggest that HCV genotype III or IV is more effectively eradicated by IFN, compared with genotype II.