Polymorphisms associated with non-response to a hepatitis c treatment or susceptibility to non-spontaneous hepatitis c clearance

A method of determining a susceptibility to non-spontaneous hepatitis C clearance in a subject infected with hepatitis C, said method comprising determining, in a nucleic acid sample isolated from a biological sample obtained from said subject, the presence or absence of at least one methylation associated polymorphism within the 5′ region upstream from the transcription start of the IL28B/A locus.

A method of treating a patient for hepatitis C, comprising

• i) determining the presence or absence of at least one methylation associated polymorphism within the 5′ region upstream from the transcription start of the IL28B/A locus in a nucleic acid sample isolated from a biological sample obtained from said patient,
• ii) and treating the patient based upon whether said one methylation associated polymorphism within the 5′ region upstream from the transcription start of the IL28B/A locus is associated with increased susceptibility to non-response to hepatitis C treatment.

A method of treating a patient for hepatitis C, comprising

• i) determining the presence or absence of at least one methylation associated polymorphism within the 5′ region upstream from the transcription start of the IL28B/A locus in a nucleic acid sample isolated from a biological sample obtained from said patient,
• ii) determining the HCV viral genotype in a nucleic acid sample isolated from a biological sample obtained from said patient,
• iii) and treating the patient based upon whether said one methylation associated polymorphism within the 5′ region upstream from the transcription start of the IL28B/A locus is associated with increased susceptibility to non-response to hepatitis C treatment.

A method of assessing a susceptibility to non-response to a hepatitis C treatment in a subject suffering from hepatitis C, said method comprising:

• i) distinguishing in said subjects those having a susceptibility to non-response to a hepatitis C treatment by determining the presence or absence of at least one methylation associated polymorphism within the 5′ region upstream from the transcription start of the IL28B/A locus in a nucleic acid sample isolated from a biological sample obtained from said patient, the presence of said at least one methylation associated polymorphism being an indication that said subject has an increased susceptibility to non-response to a hepatitis C treatment, ii) establishing a hepatitis C treatment regimen.