In a study of populations of patients with chronic hepatitis C with different degrees of fibrosis, Souza-Cruz et al. [26] found that the concentration of IL-10 and IL-6 was elevated only in individuals in the <F2 moderate fibrosis group in relation to the ≥F2 advanced fibrosis group, suggesting protective and anti-inflammatory activity in moderate fibrosis group <F2. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and chronic hepatitis C virus infection.