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Nature 436, 967-972 (18 August 2005) | doi:10.1038/nature04082; Published online 17 August 2005
review article Mechanism of action of interferon and ribavirin in treatment of hepatitis C
Jordan J. Feld1 & Jay H. Hoofnagle2
Abstract
Since the identification of the hepatitis C virus, great strides have been made in the development of an antiviral therapy. As a crucial mediator of the innate antiviral immune response, interferon-
(IFN-) was a natural choice for treatment. Whereas treatment with IFN- alone achieved only modest success, the addition of the broad-spectrum antiviral agent ribavirin greatly improved responses. However, half of the infected individuals with chronic disease do not achieve sustained clearance of hepatitis C virus. To optimize current therapeutic strategies and to develop new therapies, a better understanding of the mechanism of action of IFN and ribavirin will be essential.
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