title: Persistence of hepatitis C virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of sustained viral responders to pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy.
abstract: The aim of this paper was to assess the persistence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among patients successfully treated with peginterferon and ribavirin. The persistence of viral RNA was evaluated in the serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 25 chronic hepatitis C patients with sustained viral response to peginterferon and ribavirin treatment up to 56 months after the completion of therapy. Viral RNA was detected in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures of five patients (20%), but none had detectable serum HCV RNA. At present, the clinical relevance of this finding is unclear. It is possible that viral persistence and, specifically, the presence of HCV RNA in PBMCs may lead to HCV reactivation under special circumstances, such as immunosuppression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Juan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gallegos-Orozco
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rakela
authors.forename: Marianne J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rosati
authors.forename: Hugo E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: Vijayan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Balan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a