1,069 research outputs found
Clinical significance of hepatitis C virus genotypes
No full textThe advent of genotyping assays has stimulated investigators around the world to study the molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in specific patient categories, as well as possible correlations with the clinical and histological features of chronic liver disease and response to antiviral treatment. While a general consensus has been reached on the Worldwide epidemiology and distribution of HCV types in certain risk categories (i.e. intravenous drug users), the association between genotype 1b and severe liver disease is still controversial. Although generalized use of genotyping is not presently recommended for clinical or epidemiological monitoring, several studies emphasize to the importance of HCV genotyping as part of a therapeutic algorithm. This recommendation is based on overwhelming evidence in support of a correlation between genotype 1 and a poor response to interferon-a alone or in combination with ribavirin
Natural history of hepatitis C virus infection
No full textHepatitis C virus (HCV) is a common transmissible agent responsible for a significant proportion of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma worlwide. The natural history of acute HCV infection is charaterized by a righ rate of progression to persistent infection. The resulting chronic liver disease is dependent upon a delicate balance of host, viral and environmental factors which may significantly influence its clinical outcome
Hepatitis C: Is eradication possible?
No full textHepatitis C has a relevant global impact in terms of morbidity, mortality and economic costs, with more than 70 million people infected worldwide. In the resolution, “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” was included as a focus area in the health-related goal with world leaders pledging to “combat” it by 2030. In response, WHO drafted the Global Viral Hepatitis Strategy carrying the ambitious targets to reduce the number of deaths by two-thirds and to increase treatment rates up to 80%. Despite the availability of highly effective therapeutic regimens based on direct-acting antivirals many barriers to HCV eradication still remain. They are related to awareness of the infection, linkage to care, availability of the therapeutic drug regimens and reinfection. Overall, if an effective prophylactic vaccine will not be available, HCV eradication appears difficult to achieve in the future
Multifaceted functions of B cells in chronic hepatitis C virus infection
No full textHepatitis C virus (HCV) elicits T- and B-cell responses which are believed to play an important role in infection control. B cells have generally been neglected because they do not seem to significantly influence the course of HCV infection. In this review, B lymphocytes are viewed both as classical antibody producing cells, with the hypervariable regione 1 being a biologically relevant target protein and as a model of virus-host interaction in lymphoproliferative disorders characteristic of persistent microbial infections
Properties of a human monoclonal antibody specific for the NS4 region of hepatitis C virus
No full textA human monoclonal IgG1 (kappa) antibody (hmAb) specific for a sequental epitope comprised within the 5-1-1 fragment of the NS4 region of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been recently generated (1). In this study, B-cell clone supernatant containing the hmAb was purified by passage over a protein A affinity column. Preincubation with synthetic oligopeptides containing the epitope recognized by the hmAb resulted in complete inhibition of binding to the Whole recombinant protein, attesting to its pecificity. Calculation of the dissociation constant (Kd) using a synthetic 20-mer as antigen gave a vallue of 3.3372 x 10(-8) M, consistent with that of a human IgG. We predict that this hmAb will be helpful in characterizing the as yet unidentified native NS4 protein of HCV
Do Liver Mucosa-Associated Invariant T Cells Delay Hepatitis C Progression, or Are They Innocent Bystanders?
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