Study of host- and virus-related factors associated with spontaneous hepatitis C virus clearance

Epidemiologic parameters, virologic characteristics and frequency of HLA cl ass II: DR and DQ antigens were compared between 63 subjects with spontaneo us hepatitis C virus clearance (group 1) and 282 patients with chronic acti ve hepatitis C virus infection (group 2). DRB1*1101 and moreover DQB1*0301 alleles were more frequent in group 1 than in group 2 (33.8% vs. 14.7% and 64.4% vs. 28.6%; P=0.012 and P=0.003, respectively). The frequency of DQB1* 02 was lower in group 1 than in group 2 (25.4% vs. 49%; P=0.04). No differe nce was observed in viral genotype distribution between group 1 and group 2 . Univariate analysis showed that female sex and contamination by intraveno us drug use were associated with self limited infection. However, by multiv ariate analysis, the only independent factor associated with hepatitis C vi rus RNA clearance was female sex (P=0.004). In conclusion, spontaneous hepa titis C virus RNA clearance is determined by class II antigens (mainly DQB1 *0301) and female sex, while viral genotype plays no role.