ASSOCIATION BEETWEEN IL-28 beta POLYMORPHISMS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF CONCOMITANT THERAPY OF HIV INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH HCV/HIV CO-INFECTION DURING THE ANTIVIRAL THERAPY

The aim of the study was to evaluate the associations between the polymorphism rs8099917 IL-28 beta and changing of HIV viral load and the effectiveness of high active antiretroviral therapy during the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV-infected patients. 80 HIV/HCV-infected patients were recruited in the study. Antiviral therapy was performed with pegylated interferon-alpha and ribavirin combined with concomitant HIV therapy. Polymerase chain method was used for the gene polymorphism IL 28b (rs8099917) and HIV viral load estimation. More than half (56.25%) patients treated with combined therapy showed a significant decrease in CD4 T-lymphocytes in TG- and TT-genotype groups. Furthermore, viral load of HIV RNA significantly declined in the group with TT genotype during the treatment. It was concluded that rs8099917 polymorphism of the gene IL-28 beta affects the dynamics of the HIV RNA viral load in HIV-infected patients receiving concomitant therapy for treatment of viral hepatitis C. Herewith, rs8099917 polymorphism combined with other factors can be used as a predictor of high active antiretroviral therapy effectiveness.