Abstract
BACKGROUND: Andes virus (ANDV) is the sole etiologic agent of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in Chile, with a fatality rate of about 35%. Individual host factors affecting ANDV infection outcome are poorly understood. In this case-control genetic association analysis, we explored the link between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs12979860, rs8099917 and rs1800629 and the clinical outcome of ANDV-induced disease. The SNPs rs12979860 and rs8099917 are known to play a role in the differential expression of the interleukin 28B gene (IL28B), whereas SNP rs1800629 is implicated in the expression of tumor necrosis factor α gene (TNF-α). METHODS: A total of 238 samples from confirmed ANDV-infected patients collected between 2006 and 2014, and categorized according to the severity of the disease, were genotyped for SNPs rs12979860, rs8099917, and rs1800629. RESULTS: Analysis of IL28B SNPs rs12979860 and rs8099917 revealed a link between homozygosity of the minor alleles (TT and GG, respectively), displaying a mild disease progression, whereas heterozygosity or homozygosity for the major alleles (CT/CC and TG/TT, respectively) in both IL28B SNPs is associated with severe disease. No association with the clinical outcome of HCPS was observed for TNF-α SNP rs1800629 (TNF -308G>A). CONCLUSIONS: The IL28B SNPs rs12979860 and rs8099917, but not TNF-α SNP rs1800629, are associated with the clinical outcome of ANDV-induced disease, suggesting a possible link between IL28B expression and ANDV pathogenesis.