| Abstract: | ![]()
The aim of this work was to specify the timecourse of response to interferon (IFN) of hepatitis Gvirus (HGV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in coinfectedindividuals. A group of 33 patients, undergoing 12 months of IFN therapy for chronic hepatitis C,was screened for the presence of both HGV and HCV RNAsto select seven coinfected patients. Spontaneousrecovery from HGV infection was excluded through the detection of antibodies to the envelope-2protein of HGV and HCV isolates were genotyped. Withinthree months of treatment, we found that HGV RNA wastransiently cleared in 6/7 patients, but the rate of long-term favorable response was very low(1/7). In addition, considering the same individualsseparately, it was shown that HGV and HCV responded toIFN with different kinetics in 5/7 patients. Takentogether, these results underscore the importance of thevirological basis of the resistance to IFNtreatment. |
