title: Treatment strategies for hepatitis C: intervention prior to liver transplant, pre-emptively or after established disease.
abstract: Cirrhosis secondary to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection accounts for most liver transplants performed in the United States and European transplant centers. Given the high prevalence of HCV infection in the general population, the lack of consistently effective antiviral therapy, and the eventual progression to cirrhosis of a subset of those infected, predictions for the future are that the number of patients in need of transplantation will increase in the coming decade. In addition, viral infection recurs nearly universally leading to the development of chronic HCV in most recipients and progression to cirrhosis after a median of 9 to 12 years in a significant proportion of these recipients.
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000254:growth & development*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a