Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common chronic blood-borne infection in the United States, affecting an estimated four million Americans with an additional 35,000 new cases developing annually. HCV varies greatly in its clinical course and outcome. If undetected or untreated, HCV infection can lead to chronic disease, including liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.
An alarming 50% of HCV patients fail the currently accepted standard of care, combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Due to the overall prevalence of HCV and the high percentage of treatment failures, increased education and ongoing research are needed to provide further insights regarding the scientific basis for treatment failures, and exploring therapeutic strategies aimed at optimizing outcomes in patients who fail to respond to first-line therapy.
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