[Current treatment of hepatitis C virus infection].
New strategies have led to better results in the treatment of HCV infection during the last few years. At present the recommended treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis C is a combination of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. The sustained virological response rate of this combination therapy is 42 - 48 % for patients with genotype 1 after a course of 48 weeks and 80 % for patients with genotype 2 or 3 after a course of 24 weeks. New nucleoside analogs may lead to a better tolerance and better outcomes. A new approach is the long term monotherapy with pegylated interferon in order to reduce the progression of fibrosis and the incidence of cirrhotic complications. At present the effectivity of protease inhibitors and of a therapeutic immunisation with the E1 envelope protein of the hepatitis C virus are being examined. Because the optimal treatment strategy for patients with an acute hepatitis C infection is still unclear, these patients should be included in clinical studies.
Lörke
J
J
Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Infektiologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf. julia@loerke.de
Avci
A
A
Erhardt
A
A
Heintges
T
T
Häussinger
D
D
D000208:Acute Disease; D000547:Amantadine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000637:Transaminases / Q000032:analysis; D017211:Treatment Failure; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
D000998:Antiviral Agents; C087035:E1 protein, Hepatitis C virus; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D000547:Amantadine; D000637:Transaminases; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a; C026956:taribavirin