Immunological parameters influencing adaptive immune responses to the hepatitis C virus

Abstract

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a member of the Flaviviridae family that predominantly infects human hepatocytes. One of the main characteristics of this RNA virus is its propensity to persist in approximately 70% of infected hosts (Rehermann & Nascimbeni, 2005). Unfortunately, there is currently no available vaccine to protect individuals against HCV and block its progression. The World Health Organization has estimated that 3% of the world's population (170-200 million individuals) is infected with HCV (Alter & Seeff, 2000; Chisari, 2005). Chronically infected individuals may develop persistent liver damage that can ultimately lead to cirrhosis in up to 20% of cases and to hepatocellular carcinoma in 2.5% of the patients (Bowen & Walker, 2005a). HCV infection today represents the single most common indication for liver transplantation in the United States and is thus a growing health burden to the community. In Western societies, new cases of infections now result largely from intravenous injection drug use. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.