Antiviral therapy
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Ribavirin increases early and sustained virological response rates in patients chronically infected with HCV who receive pegylated interferon-α and novel HCV protease inhibitors. ⋯ The beneficial in vitro antiviral effect of ribavirin with interferon-α and novel HCV protease inhibitors demonstrates that ribavirin may be required as an antiviral backbone in the near future.
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Plans are outlined for a new database for hepatitis antiviral drug resistance mutations that will be closely linked to existing sequence databases. The new database will contain an infrastructure to store all available information on drug resistance mutations for the virus and a mutation can be searched by itself or in conjunction with the sequence information. ⋯ The resistance mutation database would be annotated by authorized users, recruited from among clinicians and researchers familiar with each virus. The new database would provide a central location to find known drug resistance mutations for HBV and HCV; the ability to search the sequence database for each (combination of) mutations, retrieve alignments of relevant sections, and analyse mutation context and other background information; and rapid inclusion of newly found mutations without the need to wait for a publication.
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According to recent World Health Organization data, approximately 170-200 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). At present, illicit drug users (IDUs) constitute the largest group of individuals infected with HCV in industrial countries. ⋯ The aim of our review is to focus on tertiary prevention of HCV infection among IDUs. We review strategies to prevent HCV infection and disease progression, attitude to antiviral treatment, access to specific HCV therapy and data of efficacy and safety of antiviral treatment among IDUs.
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Pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) alpha2a and alpha2b differ in their pharmacokinetic properties, which might have an effect on their antiviral effects against hepatitis C virus (HCV). Differences between PEG-IFN-alpha molecules could be more pronounced in HIV-coinfected individuals, in whom response to HCV treatment is impaired. ⋯ The antiviral effect against HCV seems to be greater for PEG-IFN-alpha2a than -alpha2b in the HIV setting. A shorter half-life of PEG-IFN-alpha2b could explain this finding.
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Multicenter Study
Living with HIV, antiretroviral treatment experience and tobacco smoking: results from a multisite cross-sectional study.
To assess the prevalence of and factors associated with tobacco smoking and dependence in HIV patients. ⋯ Very few HIV smokers seem to be good candidates for a standard tobacco cessation program. Tobacco reduction or cessation strategies should be adapted to this population.