title: Hepatitis C virus infection--pathobiology and implications for new therapeutic options.
abstract: Despite progress in therapeutic approaches for the elimination of hepatitis C, chronic hepatitis C virus infection remains an important cause of liver disease. Therapeutic intervention with the currently available interferon-based treatment regimens is quite successful, but treatment is difficult to tolerate and is contraindicated in many patients. A better understanding of the HCV biology, immunopathology, and liver disease will help to design better therapeutic strategies. The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases sponsored a single-topic conference on hepatitis C virus infection on March 4 and 5, 2005, to enhance our current knowledge in the areas of basic and clinical research related to antiviral and immunomodulatory therapies in hepatitis C disease. The faculty consisted of 23 invited experts in the field of viral hepatitis. The program was divided into four sections including: (a) replicative mechanisms and models; (b) viral-host interactions; and (c) antiviral drug development and new strategies; and (d) back to the bedside-current issues. This report summarizes each of the presentations sections.
authors.affiliation: 4 Roberts, Hepatology, Baylor University Medical Center, 3500 Gaston Avenue, Dallas, TX 75246, USA. garydav@baylorhealth.edu
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krawczynski
authors.forename: Gyongyi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szabo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans