title: Hepatis C virus genotype 4.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus genotype 4 chronic hepatitis predominates in the Eastern Mediterranean region of the world. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as high as 62% of all cases are due to genotype 4. Results of efficacy and safety clinical trials using pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C patients have shown great promise, but treatment of early responders should be maintained at 180 mg of pegylated-interferon alfa-2a plus 1000-1200 mg of ribavirin for 48 weeks unlike the 24 weeks recommended for genotypes 2 and 3. Hepatitis C genotype 4 may not be as "difficult to treat" as initially thought.
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, MBC#31, PO Box 3354, Riyadh 11211, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ossama A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Shobokshi
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin