title: Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection.
abstract: Acute and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a serious health problem worldwide, however, there has been advancement in the treatment of HCV infection due to standard treatment using pegylated interferon and ribavirin. The literature indicates that therapy for HCV is becoming more individualized. In addition to considering genotype and viral RNA levels before treatment, achievement of an early virologic response (EVR) and a rapid virologic response (RVR) is now possible during therapy. Moreover, problem patients, such as non-responders, relapsers, HIV or HBV co-infected patients, patients with liver cirrhosis, and pre- or post-liver transplantation patients are an increasing fraction of the patients requiring treatment. This article reviews the literature regarding standard treatments and problem patients with acute and chronic HCV infection. It also includes discussion on contraindications and side effects of treatment with interferon and ribavirin, as well as new drug development.
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Department of Gastroenterology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Hei-delberg D-69120, Germany.
authors.forename: Kilian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weigand
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stremmel
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Encke
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000547:Amantadine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D000547:Amantadine; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a