Global Burden of Hepatitis C: Considerations for Healthcare Providers in the United States

Abstract

An estimated 2%-3% of the world's population is living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and each year, >350 000 die of HCV-related conditions, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. The epidemiology and burden of HCV infection varies throughout the world, with country-specific prevalence ranging from <1% to >10%. In contrast to the United States and other developed countries, HCV transmission in developing countries frequently results from exposure to infected blood in healthcare and community settings. Hepatitis C prevention, care, and treatment programs must recognize country-specific epidemiology, which varies by setting and level of economic development. Awareness of the global epidemiology of HCV infection is important for US healthcare providers treating foreign-born patients from countries where HCV infection is endemic and for counseling patients who travel to these countries. Countries with a high burden of HCV infection also would benefit from establishing comprehensive prevention, care, and treatment programs.

Hepatitis C virus resistance to broadly neutralizing antibodies measured using replication-competent virus and pseudoparticles

“…While direct-acting antiviral therapy has revolutionized care for some patients with HCV, control of the HCV pandemic remains challenging due to poor access to care, frequent nosocomial transmission in developing countries (Averhoff et al, 2012), reinfection in high-risk individuals and the high proportion of infected individuals who are unaware of asymptomatic carriers (Armstrong et al, 2006). Since direct-acting antiviral therapy is very unlikely to control the HCV pandemic, development of a vaccine against HCV remains essential.…”

Clinical, Biochemical and Virological Profile of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection - A Study from University Hospital in Nepal

“…1 More than 350,000 deaths annually are attributed to HCV infection, most of which are caused by cirrhosis of liver and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 2 An estimated 27% of cirrhosis and 25% of HCC can be attributed to HCV worldwide. 2 In developed countries, the most important route of HCV transmission is intra-venous drug use, whereas in resource poor countries, invasive procedures or injection-based therapies with contaminated instruments are predominant source of new infections.…”

Mechanism of Inhibition for BMS-791325, a Novel Non-nucleoside Inhibitor of Hepatitis C Virus NS5B Polymerase

“…5). The forward rates (k 1 ) of BMS-791325 binding for WT, L30S, The on-and off-rates of a second isomerization step in a two-step binding mechanism are represented by k 3 and k 4 …”

“…Up to 80% of individuals acutely infected with HCV fail to eliminate the virus. Chronic HCV infections induce liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, which are associated with Ͼ10,000 deaths/year in the United States (3,4). The impact of chronic HCV infections is expected to increase dramatically in the United States as the population of aging baby boomers, exposed to the virus and unaware of infection, develops liver disease (5).…”