title: Slow viral dynamics of hepatitis C virus genotype 4.
abstract: Patients infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 4 (HCV-4) respond to interferon alpha (IFN) as poorly as those infected with genotype 1. However, there is no information on the viral dynamics of HCV-4. Interferon-ribavirin treatment was administered to untreated patients infected with HCV-4. Viral load was assessed with Versant 3.0. Viral dynamics parameters were estimated based on the bi-phasic model for HCV during IFN treatment. Viral kinetics of HCV-4 follow a bi-phasic decline pattern also. The mean effectiveness of IFN in blocking production of HCV-4 was a decline of 77.8% during the first day of treatment. The half-life of free virions was estimated at 3.5 h and that of infected cells from 1.9 to over 70 days. The viral dynamics parameters of HCV-4 appear similar to those of HCV-1 and slower than those of HCV-2. HCV-4 infected patients should be grouped with those with HCV-1 when therapeutic schemes are considered in relation to genotype.
authors.affiliation: Alphabio Laboratory, Virological Department, Marseille, France. philippe.halfon@alphabio.fr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Halfon
authors.forename: A U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bourlière
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rieu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chadapaud
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khiri
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ouzan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cacoub
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin