Hepatitis C virus infection is a major cause of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. Neither a vaccine nor an effective treatment is available for HCV. Pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFN- α), combined with ribavirin, is the current standard therapy. Its efficiency ranges between 20-80%, depending on the HCV genotype. Unfortunately, many HCV infected patients do not respond to or do not tolerate the IFN-based therapy. Therefore, the number of patients progressing to HCC, as a result of HCV infection, is expected to increase over the next 20-30 years. The natural history of the disease reveals the elusive nature of the virus in a number of features. First, the infection is often detected incidentally at the time of blood donation as the acute infection is clinically asymptomatic in most patients. Second, HCV successfully escapes multi-specific host immune responses in the majority of patients which establishes persistent infection. Third, a significant number of persistently infected individuals remain unaware of the infection for decades, until liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma develop.

For research use only and NOT intended for in vitro diagnostics.