Hepatitis C virus： Virology, diagnosis and treatment

• Published in: World journal of hepatology Vol. 7; no. 10; pp. 1377 - 1389
• Main Author: Li, Hui-Chun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Baishideng Publishing Group Inc 08.06.2015
• Subjects: acid; acting; antivirals; carcinoma; Diagnosis; Direct; Enzymeimmunoassay; Hepatitis; Hosttargetedagents; Interferon; Nucleic; Review; Sofosbuvir; test; Treatment;Hepatocellular; virus; Treatment; Nucleic acid test; Host-targeted agents; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Interferon; Diagnosis; Direct acting antivirals; Enzyme immunoassay; Hepatitis C virus; Sofosbuvir
• ISSN: 1948-5182; 1948-5182
• DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v7.i10.1377

More than twenty years of study has provided abetter understanding of hepatitis C virus （HCV） lifecycle, including the general properties of viral RNAand proteins. This effort facilitates the developmentof sensitive diagnostic tools and effective antiviraltreatments. At present, serologic screening test isrecommended to perform on individuals in the highrisk groups and nucleic acid tests are recommendedto confirm the active HCV infections. Quantization andgenotyping of HCV RNAs are important to determinethe optimal duration of anti-viral therapy and predictthe likelihood of response. In the early 2000s, pegylatedinterferon plus ribavirin became the standard anti-HCV treatment. However, this therapy is not ideal. To2014, boceprevir, telaprevir, simeprevir, sofosbuvir andHarvoni are approved by Food and Drug Administrationfor the treat of HCV infections. It is likely that thenew all-oral, interferon-free, pan-genotyping anti-HCVtherapy will be available within the next few years.Majority of HCV infections will be cured by these antiviraltreatments. However, not all patients are expectedto be cured due to viral resistance and the high costof antiviral treatments. Thus, an efficient prophylacticvaccine will be the next challenge in the fight againstHCV infection.