Besides the favorable effects of the CC genotype (rs12979860) on HCV clearance rates, this genotype was also associated with a higher rate of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in patients with chronic HCV infection and with a higher frequency of pulmonary fibrosis in patients with systemic sclerosis, accompanied by increased IFN- λ3 activity (46, 47). Here, IFNL3 is linked to systemic sclerosis.