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Mechanism of action of interferon and ribavirin in treatment of hepatitis C

Abstract

Since the identification of the hepatitis C virus, great strides have been made in the development of an antiviral therapy. As a crucial mediator of the innate antiviral immune response, interferon-α (IFN-α) was a natural choice for treatment. Whereas treatment with IFN-α alone achieved only modest success, the addition of the broad-spectrum antiviral agent ribavirin greatly improved responses. However, half of the infected individuals with chronic disease do not achieve sustained clearance of hepatitis C virus. To optimize current therapeutic strategies and to develop new therapies, a better understanding of the mechanism of action of IFN and ribavirin will be essential.

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Figure 1: Virological responses to hepatitis C therapy.
Figure 2: Pattern of decrease in HCV RNA levels during interferon therapy of chronic hepatitis C.
Figure 3: Proposed mechanisms by which ribavirin could act in HCV infection.

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Feld, J., Hoofnagle, J. Mechanism of action of interferon and ribavirin in treatment of hepatitis C. Nature 436, 967–972 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04082

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