title: Antiviral therapy for treatment naïve patients with hepatitis C virus.
abstract: This article focuses on the most recent therapies for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who are naive to therapy. The primary end point for the treatment of naive HCV patients is viral eradication or a sustained virological response, which is defined as the absence of HCV in the serum, as detected by a sensitive polymerase chain reaction test, 24 weeks after stopping antiviral therapy. Recent data suggest that an SVR can be equated with a biochemical,virological, and histological response that is sustained for up to 5 years and is conceptually a cure of HCV in 90% of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattack Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Sangik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Nezam H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Afdhal