Open AccessEvolution and Revolution of Hepatitis C Management: From Non-A, Non-B Hepatitis Toward Global Elimination
Author(s) -
Viktorija Basytė-Bacevičė,
Juozas Kupčinskas
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
digestive diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.879
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1421-9875
pISSN - 0257-2753
DOI - 10.1159/000505434
Subject(s) - medicine , ribavirin , hepatitis c , hepatitis c virus , pegylated interferon , interferon , virology , viral hepatitis , hepatitis , liver disease , immunology , virus
Discovery of hepatitis C in 1989 allowed basic research to identify critical components of hepatitis C virus (HCV) structure and life cycle. Interferon (IFN)-α was introduced as first treatment for chronic hepatitis C and later was enhanced by pegylation, addition of ribavirin, and resulted in improved sustained virologic response. Better understanding of HCV structure, enzymes, and lifecycle led to the discovery of direct-acting antivirals and IFN-free era. Successful HCV therapy created a rare possibility of global disease eradication, which is now a major goal internationally. However, hepatitis C remains a major public health challenge, and more resources are needed to reach global elimination.