Is pegylated interferon superior to interferon, with ribavarin, in chronic hepatitis C genotypes 2/3?

Abstract

Over

Molecular study of HCV detection, genotypes and their routes of transmission in North West Frontier Province, Pakistan

“…It is a single stranded enveloped RNA virus of 9.6 kb genome with three structural and six nonstructural proteins. The structural proteins are core, E1 and E2 and these have a substantial heterogeneity due to the lack of efficient proofreading ability during the replication process [3,4] . This variability has led to viral classification into at least 6 genotypes and over 100 subtypes on the basis of molecular relatedness [5][6][7] .…”

“…HCV is classified into 11 major genotypes and more than 100 subtypes. Genotypes [1][2][3] have worldwide distribution. The rest of the genotypes show definite geographic site predilections.…”

Correlation between a single nucleotide polymorphism (G/T at nt –88) in the Mx1 gene promoter and the response to interferon therapy for hepatitis C virus in Egyptian patients

“…(Yu et al, 2008). HCV infection has a high rate of persistence and usually evolves to chronicity in 70 to 80% of cases (Jamall et al, 2008). In an infected individual, the HCV genome population circulates as quasispecies.…”

Commentary on: The optimal Dose of Ribavirin for Chronic Hepatitis C: From Literature Evidence to Clinical Practice

“…The introduction of the pegylated version of interferon in the past decade has produced better clinical outcomes in patients infected with viral genotype 1. However, the published literature shows no significant improvement in clinical outcomes in patients infected with genotypes 2 or 3 when they are treated with PEG-IFN as opposed to the non-pegylated, when both were given in combination with RBV (5). Conversely, Zeuzem et al (6) compared the SVR to treatment with PEG-IFN alpha-2b plus RBV for 24 weeks and found a lower rate of response in genotype 3 than in genotype 2 patients: in this multicentre study, the lower SVR in patients with genotype 3 was attributed to the high levels of steatosis in those patients.…”

“…The primary measure of current therapy virtually shows no detectable levels of HCV in serum at least 24 wk following the end of therapy, defined as the SVR. The SVR correlates well in clinical practice with patient recovery and wellbeing (5). The efficacy of the combination therapy with PEG-IFN-α-2b and RBV in children with HCV infection is comparable to and even higher than that reported in adults.…”