The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is known to mutate to avoid recognition by antibodies, neutralizing molecules of the host’s immune system. Surprisingly, researchers found that these mutations can occur in genes unrelated to the antibody binding site in the virus.
The results are based on 113 HCV strains from 27 patients, and were reported in a study titled “Extra-epitopic hepatitis C virus polymorphisms confer resistance to broadly neutralizing antibodies by
Curing the preponderance of patients treated for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of medicine’s most notable milestones, but research in this area appears to be grinding to a halt, according to a commentary in the first 2017 issue of Hepatology.
With HCV dominating the subspecialty of hepatology for the past 25 years, some scientists believe that research should turn its attention and monetary resources to more urgent needs.
Other experts disagree ...
Friday, January 13, 2017
News Recap
Close to Home
This last week has seen some pretty sad news for Canadians with Hep C. As you know, the Past Economic Loss and Dependents (PELD) Fund of the Pre-1986/Post-1990 Hepatitis C Settlement has a shortfall – with more than $65 million in unpaid claims.
On December 15, 2016, a joint hearing was held in Toronto before the judges of Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec to discuss the status of the...
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major global pathogen with more than 160 million people worldwide are chronically infected by the disease. Left untreated HCV will progress to severe liver disease, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
HCV-related deaths worldwide annually exceed 350,000, comparable to AIDS, TB and malaria. In high-income countries HCV accounts for substantially more deaths than all three of these diseases combined, and is the most common reason for li
Friday, October-28-16
News in Brief
Restricted Reimbursement for DAAs Hinders Progress Towards Global Hepatitis C Eradication Goal
October 27, 2016
There are significant differences in the criteria for reimbursing for direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) among the provinces in Canada, according to the results of a recent study. Conducted by Alison Marshall, MA, of The Kirby Institute, and colleagues, the study...
Scripps Research Institute La Jolla, CA -- Oct. 24, 2016 -- Researchers have been trying for decades to develop a vaccine against the globally endemic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Now scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have discovered one reason why success has so far been elusive.
Using a sophisticated array of techniques for mapping tiny molecular structures, the TSRI scientists analyzed a lab-made version of a key viral protein, which
