Why are there different dynamics in the selection of drug resistance in HIV and hepatitis B and C viruses?
The arrival of new antiviral drugs to treat chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections has given rise to great expectations along with concerns regarding the selection of drug-resistant variants. Many lessons learnt from HIV therapeutics can be helpful for designing adequate treatment strategies against viral hepatitis, the avoidance of sequential weak monotherapies being one of them. Although HIV, HBV and HCV share many biological features, including very rapid viral dynamics, distinctive characteristics explain why the speed of selection of drug resistance differs substantially between these viruses, being faster for HCV than for HIV and slower for HBV.
Soriano
Vincent
V
Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Carlos III, Sinesio Delgado 10, 28029 Madrid, Spain. vsoriano@dragonet.es
Perelson
Alan S
AS
Zoulim
Fabien
F
D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D006678:HIV / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D012641:Selection, Genetic