Objective To investigate the relationship of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of interleukin-18 (IL-18) gene promoter region-607C/A and-137G/C loci and response to interferon (IFN) treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC).Methods A total of 199 CHC patients received combination therapy of IFNα or PegIFNα and Ribavirin in the First Affiliated Hospital,Shanxi Medical University from September 23rd,2005 to August 20th,2012 were enrolled.And 180 healthy subjects were recruited as controls.The SNPs of IL-18 gene promoter region-607C/A and-137G/C loci were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).Genotype distribution,allele frequency,and the relationships between SNPs in-607C/A and-137G/C loci and response to IFN treatment were analyzed byx2 test.Results-137GG genotype distribution and-137G allele frequency were significantly higher in CHC patients than those in healthy controls (x2 =6.612 and 6.476,P =0.010 and 0.011),whereas-137GC genotype was the opposite (x2 =5.548,P =0.019).Patients with -607AA genotype had higher sustained virological responses (SVRs) to IFN treatment compared with those with-607CA or-607CC genotypes (x2 =4.195 and 5.230,P =0.041 and 0.022).And patients with -607A allele had higher SVRs to IFN treatment compared with those with-607C allele (x2 =5.903,P =0.015).Patients with-137GC genotype had higher SVR to IFN treatment compared with those with-137GG genotype (x2 =5.869,P =0.015),and patients with-137C allele had higher SVRs to IFN treatment compared with those with-137G allele (x2 =3.885,P =0.049).Conclusions Patients with-607AA and -137GC genotypes have higher SVRs to IFN treatment than those with other genotypes.-137G allele seems to be associated with the susceptibility to HCV infection,while-607A and-137C alleles may be correlated with higher SVR to IFN treatment.

Objective To understand Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome(SARS)better and accumulate more experience of preventing and treating this disease. Methods 63 cases of SARS patients diagnosed during March and May of 2003 were studied by retrospective. Results The average age of patients was(35.1?14.4) years old. Among them, 36 patients had the histories of closing contact with diagonosed patients and 22 patients showed infectious links. There were 3 medical staff patients infected. The average incubations period was (6.2?3.1) days and the SARS epidemic pick in Taiyuan is on April of 2003. People between 20～40 years old had the highest incidence. The most common symptom is fever. The second is dry cough. Most of the patients with SARS had normal or lower white blood counts than normal. The chest radiographs showed infiltration signs such as ground-glass opacities, focal consolidation or pathy consolidation within one week after being ill. The Average period of beginning absorption of the infiltration on chest radiograph is (11.6?5.9) days and the average period of completely resolution is (22.9?6.7) days after being admitted in hospital. There were 14 cases of severe type and 6 patients died of ARDS among 63 patients. Conclusions SARS patients showed obvious infectious link. Therefore it supports the view that SARS is mainly conmmunicated by close air droplets. The main characteristics of SARS are fever, normal or lower white blood cells counts and abnormal chest radiographs.

Objective:To study the antiviral effect of ISG20 on HCV replicon.Methods:Wild type ISG20/mutated ISG20 cDNAs were obtained by RT-PCR/two step-PCR directed mutagenesis, and wild type ISG20 and dominant negative mutated ISG20 mammal expression vectors were consuructed. The constructed pISG20wt and pISG20m expressing vectors were transfected into Huh7 cells or Huh7 cells containing HCV replicon to investigate its effects on HCV replicon replication.Results:The ISG20wt/ISG20m expression vectors were constructed and the expressions of these two vectors were confirmed at both mRNA and protein levels. The effects of ISG20wt on HCV replicon replication were evaluated by Northern blot and Western blot. The results showed that expression of ISG20wt had significant inhibitory effect on HCV RNA replication.Conclusion:ISG20 participates in the anti-HCV action of IFN-? on HCV replicon system.