Chronic viral infections affecting the liver represents a global burden for medical comunities. More than 170 million individuals are infected chronically with hepatitis C virus (HCV), this accounting about 2-3% of the world's population. Despite numerous progresses aquired in viral pahogenesis and treatment, chronic hepatitis C management is influenced by a multitude of factors. Interleukin IL-28 beta subunit (IL28B) demonstrated to be involved in both sustained virological response (SVR) to

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... eatment, but even with spontaneous viral clearance without any therapy. In the era of direct antiviral agents (DAAs) we aimed to find out what was the real influence of IL28B phenotypes over the response to Peg-IFN and Ribavirin treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C, many of theses being non-responders or relapsers, and as consequence, to optimize the referal of patients to more expensive and efficient treatments. In a retrospectively manner, we analyzed the IL28B phenotype and its influence over the rapid viral response (RVR), early viral response (EVR) and sustained viral response (SVR), in 250 patients HCV treated patients. We made correlations between the treatment response rates and the IL28B polymorphism.TT phenotype was correlated negatively with all parameters studied, while CC phenotype was correlated with the best response rates. We concluded that IL28B phenotypes interfere with the EVR and SVR rates, IL28B phenotype being an independent prognostic factor for antiviral treatment response in our patient groups, and according to this characteristics, we created the premise to optimize the patients referal to expensive therapies as DAAs. Keywords: hepatitis C virus, IL-28 beta subunit,viral treatment