Overview of hepatitis C infection, molecular biology, and new treatment
Ali Ahmed Rabaana b✉, Shamsah H. Al-Ahmedc, Ali M. Bazzid, Wadha Ahmed Alfouzane f, Shahab A. Alsulimang, Fatimah A. Aldrazih, Shafiul Haquei
- aMolecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: arabaan@gmail.com
- bMolecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
- cSpecialty Paediatric Medicine, Qatif Central Hospital, Qatif, Saudi Arabia
- dMicrobiology Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
- eDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat 13110, Kuwait
- fFaculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Dasma 35153, Kuwait
- gInternal Medicine and Infectious Disease Department, Dammam Medical Complex, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
- hInfection Control Department, Dammam Medical Complex, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
- iResearch and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing & Allied Health Sciences, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia
- ✉Corresponding author
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Abstract
The World Health Organization estimates that 71 million people worldwide have chronic hepatitis C viral infection. A major challenge is overall lack of public awareness of hepatitis C, particularly among infected people of their infection status. Chronic hepatitis C infection is associated with advanced liver disease, is the main cause of hepatocellular carcinoma and causes many extra-hepatic manifestations. The existence of seven viral genotypes complicates targeting of treatment. Recent years have seen the approval of many direct acting antivirals targeted at hepatitis C virus non-structural proteins. These have revolutionized therapy as they allow achievement of extremely high sustained virologic responses. Of great significance is the development of pan-genotypic drug combinations, including the NS3/4A-NS5A inhibitor combinations sofosbuvir-velpatasvir and glecaprevir-pibrentasvir. However, resistance-associated mutations can result in failure of these treatments in a small number of patients. This, combined with the high costs of treatment, highlights the importance of continued research into effective anti-hepatitis C therapies, for example aimed at viral entry. Recent developments include identification of the potential of low-cost anti-histamines for repurposing as inhibitors of hepatitis C viral entry. In this review we focus on molecular biology of hepatitis C virus, and the new developments in hepatitis C treatment.
TL;DRThe World Health Organization estimates that 71 million people worldwide have chronic hepatitis C viral infection, and a major challenge is overall lack of public awareness of hepatitis C, particularly among infected people of their infection status. (Semantic Scholar)