Scientists Discover Better Treatment for Hepatitis C
October 18, 2007 by
Biologists at the University of California San Diego have announced the discovery of a completely new mechanism that mammalian cells use in their fight against Hepatitis C virus infections, which can lead to cirrhosis
of the liver or liver cancer. This is a widespread problem, affecting about 2.7 million Americans and 170 million world wide.
They believe that this discovery could be the answer to improving the current antiviral treatments or could even lead to new treatments that will be more effective and have fewer side effects.
The only therapy that is approved for Hepatitis C is alpha-interferon, which is a protein produced by animal cells when they are infected by viruses. The alpha-interferon works o healthy cells to produce enzymes that have the ability to counter the infection. In some cases, the alpha-interferon is used in combination therapy with the antiviral drug ribavirin. But this therapy is only effective in about 40 to 80% of the patients and out of these, about 50% have a relapse after the end of the treatments.
There is just about 25% of the patients who get the interferon treatment end up free of the viral infections. But interferon can cause flu like symptoms as well as kidney damage in some patients.
All of these variables in the response rates are difficult to understand, because the scientists do not fully understand the mechanisms that alpha-interferon used to fight off the Hepatitis C infection.
The new discovery is that microRNAs, which are short strands of RNA that have the ability to interfere with the expression of certain genes seem to be effective against the Hepatitis C virus because of the fact that they are used by mammalian cells stop the virus from multiplying. As with many of these types of discoveries, it was a surprise because while microRNA interference has been recognized as a defense mechanism in plant and invertebrates, there was a great deal of doubt in the medical community about it being used by the mammalian cells
Scientists Discover Better Treatment for Hepatitis C
They believe that this discovery could be the answer to improving the current antiviral treatments or could even lead to new treatments that will be more effective and have fewer side effects.
The only therapy that is approved for Hepatitis C is alpha-interferon, which is a protein produced by animal cells when they are infected by viruses. The alpha-interferon works o healthy cells to produce enzymes that have the ability to counter the infection. In some cases, the alpha-interferon is used in combination therapy with the antiviral drug ribavirin. But this therapy is only effective in about 40 to 80% of the patients and out of these, about 50% have a relapse after the end of the treatments.
There is just about 25% of the patients who get the interferon treatment end up free of the viral infections. But interferon can cause flu like symptoms as well as kidney damage in some patients.
All of these variables in the response rates are difficult to understand, because the scientists do not fully understand the mechanisms that alpha-interferon used to fight off the Hepatitis C infection.
The new discovery is that microRNAs, which are short strands of RNA that have the ability to interfere with the expression of certain genes seem to be effective against the Hepatitis C virus because of the fact that they are used by mammalian cells stop the virus from multiplying. As with many of these types of discoveries, it was a surprise because while microRNA interference has been recognized as a defense mechanism in plant and invertebrates, there was a great deal of doubt in the medical community about it being used by the mammalian cells
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Hepatitis A is a mild form of hepatitis that affects your liver for months, but is rarely fatal.
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The Hepatitis B vaccine if often given to newborns before they leave the hospital. This practice is dangerous and unnecessary. Babies are highly unlikely to contract the Hepatitis B disease and death and serious adverse reactions have been reported from the vaccine
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Getting the information you need to understanding what Hepatitis C is will better help you dealing with it in your personal life. Do the research and get informed. You can start right here right now.
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