title: An insight into the molecular characteristics of hepatitis C virus for clinicians.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) consists of envelope proteins, core proteins, and genome RNA.  The structural genes and non-structural genes in the open reading frame of its genome encode functional proteins essential to viral life cycles, ranging from virus attachment to progeny virus secretion. After infection, the host cells suffer damage from virus-induced oxidative stress, steatosis, and activation of proto-oncogenes. Every process during the viral life cycle can be considered as targets for direct acting antivirals. However, protective immunity cannot be easily acquired for the volatility in HCV antigenic epitopes. Understanding its molecular characteristics, especially pathogenesis and targets the drugs act on, not only helps professionals to make optimal therapeutic decisions, but also helps clinicians who do not specialize in infectious diseases/hepatology to provide better management for patients. This review serves   to provide an insight for clinicians and this  might provide a possible solution for any possible collision.
authors.affiliation: Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. E-mail. n.sync@163.com.
authors.forename: Lingyao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016679:Genome, Viral; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D020506:Untranslated Regions; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D020506:Untranslated Regions; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins