[Modern achievements in research on hepatitis C vaccine].
Hepatitis C is an immense health and epidemiological problem; its effective prevention by vaccination, however, is still impossible. The available methods of treatment, e.g. using interferon a and ribavirin, do not lead to fully satisfactory results in all patients and are associated with side effects. Knowledge of the virus's structure and epidemiology, as well as the immune mechanisms, which occur in the human organism due to HCV infection, has progressed substantially. The importance of some structural elements of the virus in inducing cellular and humoral responses and the effects of individual stages of the immune reaction on the process of viral multiplication have been determined, which has enabled multi-directional studies on an effective vaccine. The studies tested vaccine models in which proteins, virosomes, and sequences of DNA were used for immunization. Plasmids and recombinant adenoviruses served as vectors capable of transferring the DNA fragments. This long-term research resulted in a model of a therapeutic vaccine containing HCV envelope E1 proteins. At present, clinical trials are being carried out to determine the proper dosage and administration mode of the vaccine. It is estimated that in the nearest future such a vaccine will be available as an element of therapy in patients with hepatitis C. Furthermore, intensive studies have been undertaken to develop a prophylactic vaccine to prevent the development of HCV infection.
Baryluk
Aneta
A
Zakład Wirusologii Akademii Medycznej w Lublinie, Collegium Uniwersum, ul. Chodźki 1, 20-093 Lublin. a-baryluk@tlen.pl
Polz-Dacewicz
Małgorzata
M
Sendecka
Marta
M
Piecyk-Sidor
Marta
M
D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology
D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines