Dev Anouk, Patel Keyur, McHutchison John G
Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, PO Box 17969, Durham, NC 27715, USA.
Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2004 Feb;6(1):77-86. doi: 10.1007/s11894-004-0030-5.
Chronic hepatitis C infection is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in addition to substantial social and health-related costs. Since the identification of the virus and determination of the HCV genome over a decade ago, considerable progress has been made in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection. However, the current standard combination of interferon-based therapies and ribavirin is effective in only 50% of patients. In addition, this combination is expensive, requires lengthy periods of administration, and is associated with significant side effects. Furthermore, no effective preventive measure, such as vaccination, is currently available. A number of newer therapies, including protease and helicase inhibitors, ribozymes, antisense therapies, and therapeutic vaccines, are in preclinical and clinical development and may significantly enhance existing therapeutic options for the future.
慢性丙型肝炎感染除了会带来巨大的社会和健康相关成本外，还与严重的发病率和死亡率相关。自十多年前发现该病毒并确定丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）基因组以来，慢性丙型肝炎感染的治疗已取得了相当大的进展。然而，目前基于干扰素的标准联合疗法与利巴韦林仅对50%的患者有效。此外，这种联合疗法费用高昂，需要长时间给药，且伴有明显的副作用。此外，目前尚无有效的预防措施，如疫苗接种。一些更新的疗法，包括蛋白酶和解旋酶抑制剂、核酶、反义疗法和治疗性疫苗，正处于临床前和临床开发阶段，可能会显著增加未来现有的治疗选择。
