Pathogenesis, Natural History, Treatment, and Prevention of Hepatitis C

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   Figure 1. The location of HCV genes, proposed functions of gene products, and the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions ( and ) are shown. Numbering refers to nucleotide positions of genes. Schematic diagram of the hepatitis C virus genome.5′UTR3′XR
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   Figure 2. Although the hepatocyte is depicted as the target cell of hepatitis C virus ( )-specific immune response here, other cells, including dendritic cells and macrophages, are also important in antigen presentation to the immune system. CTL = cytotoxic T cell; IL = interleukin; MHC = major histocompatibility complex; TCR = T-cell receptor; Th = T helper; Th1 = helper T cells with a type 1 cytokine profile; Th2 = helper T cells with a type 2 cytokine profile; TNF = tumor necrosis factor. Components of the antiviral immune response.HCV
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   Figure 3. Survival of 100% is shown as 1 on the y axis. Survival curves comparing patients with non-A, non-B transfusion-associated, predominantly type C hepatitis (solid line); matched transfusion recipients without hepatitis (controls) (dashed line); and the general U.S. population (dotted line).
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   Figure 4. The total height of the bars represents the end-of-treatment response rate; the white portion represents the sustained response rate. Data are shown for 1744 patients (the number in each treatment group is given in parentheses) from two large prospective clinical trials . Numbers at the top of the bars represent exact percentages. Rates of virologic response in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon-α for 24 weeks (IFN 24 wk) or 48 weeks (IFN 48 wk) or interferon-α plus ribavirin for 24 weeks (IFN and RBV 24 wk) or 48 weeks (IFN and RBV 48 wk).(49, 51)
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   Figure 5. The white bars represent patients with genotype 1 and the few patients with genotypes 4, 5, and 6; the striped bars represent patients with genotypes 2 and 3. Data are shown for 1744 patients (the number in each treatment group is given in parentheses) from two large prospective clinical trials . Numbers at the top of the bars represent exact percentages. Rates of sustained virologic response in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon-α for 24 weeks (IFN 24 wk) or 48 weeks (IFN 48 wk) or interferon-α plus ribavirin for 24 weeks (IFN and RBV 24 wk) or 48 weeks (IFN and RBV 48 wk), by viral genotype.(49, 51)

• Copyright ©2004 by the American College of Physicians