Hepatitis C virus genotypes 1 and 2 respond to interferon-alpha with different virologic kinetics.
Responses of patients infected with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) to interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) treatment were studied. HCV genotypes were determined by molecular and serologic techniques. Levels of HCV viremia were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Infection with HCV genotype 2 or low pretreatment HCV viremia levels in subjects infected with genotype 1 were associated with favorable (complete and sustained) responses (CR-SR; P < .001) to IFN-alpha treatment. HCV viremia levels in genotype 2 infection were significantly lower (P < .05) than in genotype 1 infection. The reduction rates of serum HCV RNA levels were four times higher in patients with genotype 2 infection than in those infected with genotype 1. The proportion of patients with CR-SR who experienced virologic relapse after completion of IFN-alpha treatment was higher for those infected with genotype 1. The proportion of patients with CR-SR and genotype 1 infection increased linearly in accordance with increases in single or total IFN-alpha dose.
Kohara
M
M
Department of Microbiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Japan.
Tanaka
T
T
Tsukiyama-Kohara
K
K
Tanaka
S
S
Mizokami
M
M
Lau
J Y
JY
Hattori
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012703:Serotyping; D013045:Species Specificity
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase