The global burden of hepatitis C

Hierarchical assessment of host factors influencing the spontaneous resolution of hepatitis C infection

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with chronic liver disease, resulting in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Approximately 20% of HCV infections are spontaneously resolved. Here, we assessed the hierarchical relevance of host factors contributing to viral clearance.

METHODS

DNA samples from 40 resolved infections and 40 chronic HCV patients paired by age were analyzed. Bivariate analysis was performed to rank the importance of each contributing factor in spontaneous HCV clearance.

RESULTS

Interestingly, 63.6% of patients with resolved infections exhibited the protective genotype CC for SNP rs12979860. Additionally, 59.3% of patients with resolved infections displayed the protective genotype TT/TT for SNP ss469415590. Moreover, a ranking of clearance factors was estimated. In order of importance, the IL28B CC genotype (OR 0.197, 95% CI 0.072-0.541) followed by the INFL4 TT/TT genotype (OR 0.237, 95% CI 0.083-0.679), and female gender (OR 0.394, 95% CI 0.159-0.977) were the main predictors for clearance of HCV infection.

CONCLUSIONS

HCV clearance is multifactorial and the contributing factors display a hierarchical order. Identifying all elements playing role in HCV clearance is of the most importance for HCV-related disease management. Dissecting the relevance of each contributing factor will certainly improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of HCV infection.

GP205, a new hepatitis C virus NS3/4A protease inhibitor, displays higher metabolic stability in vitro and drug exposure in vivo

NS3/4A serine protease is a prime target for direct-acting antiviral therapies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Several NS3/4A inhibitors have been widely used in clinic, while new inhibitors with better characteristics are still urgently needed. GP205 is a new macrocyclic inhibitor of NS3/4A with low nanomolar activities against HCV replicons of genotypes 1b, 2a, 4a, and 5a, with EC₅₀ values ranging from 1.5 to 12.8 nmol/L. In resistance selection study in vitro, we found resistance-associated substitutions on D168: The activity of GP205 was significantly attenuated against 1b replicon with D168V or D168A mutation, similar as simeprevir. No cross resistance of GP205 with NS5B or NS5A inhibitor was observed. Combination of GP205 with sofosbuvir or daclatasvir displayed additive or synergistic efficacy. The pharmacokinetic profile of GP205 was characterized in rats and dogs after oral administration, which revealed good drug exposure both in plasma and in liver and long plasma half-life. The in vitro stability test showed ideal microsomal and hepatic cells stability of GP205. The preclinical profiles of GP205 support further research on this NS3/4A inhibitor to expand the existing HCV infection therapies.

Impact of sustained virological response on the extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Extrahepatic manifestations of HCV are responsible for morbidity and mortality in many chronically infected patients. New, interferon-free antiviral treatment regimens, which present the opportunity to treat all HCV-infected patients, call for a better understanding of the benefits of treating non-cirrhotic chronically infected individuals.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted. Identified studies from targeted database searches on Embase and Medline were screened. The methodological quality of the included publications was evaluated. Random-effect model meta-analyses were performed. Strength of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system.

RESULTS

Data were extracted from a total of 48 identified studies. Achieving sustained virological response (SVR) was associated with reduced extrahepatic mortality (vs no SVR, OR 0.44 (95% CI 0.28 to 0.67)). SVR was associated with higher complete remissions in patients with cryoglobulinemia vasculitis (OR 20.76 (6.73 to 64.05)) and a higher objective response in those with malignant B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases (OR 6.49 (2.02 to 20.85)). Achieving SVR was also associated with reduced insulin resistance at follow-up (OR 0.42 (0.33 to 0.53)) and a significant protective effect on the incidence of diabetes (OR 0.34 (0.21 to 0.56)). Lack of randomised data comparing SVR versus non-SVR patients for the relevant extrahepatic indications attenuated these analyses.

CONCLUSION

Antiviral therapy can reduce extrahepatic manifestations related to HCV when SVR is achieved. Higher quality data, and reporting over longer follow-up periods, will be required to thoroughly explore comprehensive HCV treatment strategies.

Correlation of IL28B rs12979860 genotype and gender with spontaneous clearance of HCV infection: a Pakistani cross-section study

AIM

There is a strong correlation of IL28B rs12979860 genetic variations and gender with spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

MATERIALS & METHODS

HCV-infected subjects were categorized into HCV spontaneous clearance (SC) group and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) group on the basis of anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA level and follow-up of 6 months. 35 subjects were classified in SC group and 165 subjects were classified in CHC group. IL28B rs12979860 genotypes were determined by allele-specific PCR.

RESULTS & CONCLUSION

Multinominal logistic regression analyses revealed that both genders favor IL28B rs12979860 CT genotype (OR: 4.80; CI: 2.22-10.35; p = 0.0005) and (OR: 3.47; CI: 1.63-7.43; p = 0.001) for male and female, respectively, are significant in spontaneous clearance of HCV infection.

Recombinant streptavidin fusion proteins as signal reporters in rapid test of human hepatitis C virus infection

BACKGROUND

Early diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is very important for the treatment of the disease. Development of sensitive and specific rapid detection assays is of great significance for the diagnosis. Here, we describe a promising method of using gold-labeled streptavidin fusion proteins as novel signal reporter in a rapid detection assay for HCV infection.

METHODS

Recombinant genes encoding streptavidin fused with Escherichia coli maltose-binding protein (MBP) or with a portion of bacterial translational initiation factor 2 were cloned in expression vectors pMAL-5CX and pET28 and transformed in proper Escherichia coli host strains. The genes were induced and streptavidin fusion proteins, named M-STV and IF-STV, respectively, were purified by affinity chromatography to over 90% purity. The biotin-binding activity of M-STV and IF-STV was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). M-STV was labeled with colloidal gold nanoparticles and used as a signal reporter to develop a lateral flow-based rapid test for detecting anti-HCV antibodies in human blood samples.

RESULTS

M-STV showed slightly higher biotin-binding activity and similar binding specificity as compared to commercial streptavidin. The gold-labeled M-STV bound specifically to biotin moieties immobilized on the rapid test strips in a dose-responsive manner and was successfully used in detecting HCV antibodies in serum samples of patients infected with HCV. The rapid test displayed higher detection sensitivity than gold-labeled commercial NeutrAvidin.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that gold-labeled M-STV is a promising agent in rapid tests of HCV infection and possibly other viral infections.

Evaluation of cost-effectiveness of peginterferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C treatment and direct-acting antiviral agents among HIV-infected patients in the prison and community settings

BACKGROUND

In Taiwan, the majority of chronic hepatitis C carriers with HIV co-infection are intravenous drug users and inmates in correctional facilities. Peginterferon and ribavirin (PegIFN/RBV) have been the standard-of-care for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection more than decades. We evaluated the estimated cost-effectiveness of PegIFN/RBV from the National Health Insurance Research Database, covering the population of Taiwan from 1998 to 2013.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is an observational study, and study during was 2010-2016 and a total of 239 patients were treated with PegIFN/RBV. Of them, 156 patients were treated in the correctional facilities of Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung and Taitung prisons, and 83 patients were treated in communities. The cost-effectiveness was analyzed in regimens of PegIFN/RBV and direct-acting antiviral agents.

RESULTS

By multivariate analysis, the patients completed PegIFN/RBV in prison (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 4.56, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.58-13.12, p = 0.005), HCV RNA level <800,000 IU/mL (aOR: 4.0, 95% CI: 1.27-12.66, p = 0.02) at baseline, and the presence of early virologic response (EVR) (aOR: 7.67, 95% CI: 1.89-31.06, p = 0.004) were independent predictors for sustained virologic response (SVR). For the subgroups of prisoners, HIV-infected prisoners and HIV-infected patients in communities, the SVR rate was 73.8%, 72.0% and 36.8%, and the average medical-care cost was US$7,701, $7,893, and $15,443 per SVR achieved, respectively. Also, the estimated medical-care cost for genotype 6 was US$9211.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic HCV/HIV co-infected patients with genotype 1 and 6 in the community setting could benefit from DAAs in Taiwan.

The Curtius Rearrangement: Applications in Modern Drug Discovery and Medicinal Chemistry

The Curtius rearrangement is the thermal decomposition of an acyl azide derived from carboxylic acid to produce an isocyanate as the initial product. The isocyanate can undergo further reactions to provide amines and their derivatives. Due to its tolerance for a large variety of functional groups and complete retention of stereochemistry during rearrangement, the Curtius rearrangement has been used in the synthesis of a wide variety of medicinal agents with amines and amine-derived functional groups such as ureas and urethanes. The current review outlines various applications of the Curtius rearrangement in drug discovery and medicinal chemistry. In particular, the review highlights some widely used rearrangement methods, syntheses of some key agents for popular drug targets and FDA-approved drugs. In addition, the review highlights applications of the Curtius rearrangement in continuous-flow protocols for the scale-up of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability of Single-Dose Elbasvir in Participants with Hepatic Impairment

BACKGROUND

The combination of elbasvir and grazoprevir is approved for the treatment of hepatitis C virus genotype 1 or 4 infection.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the pharmacokinetics and safety of single-dose elbasvir 50 mg in participants with hepatic impairment.

METHODS

Participants with mild, moderate, or severe hepatic impairment and age-, sex-, and weight-matched healthy controls were enrolled in a 3-part, open-label, sequential-panel, single-dose pharmacokinetic study. Blood samples were collected to assess pharmacokinetics. Safety and tolerability were assessed throughout the study.

RESULTS

Thirty-four participants were enrolled: eight with mild hepatic impairment, 11 with moderate hepatic impairment, seven with severe hepatic impairment, and eight healthy matched controls. Participants with mild, moderate, and severe hepatic impairment demonstrated a numeric, but not statistically significant, decrease in elbasvir exposure compared with controls, with a mean 39, 28, and 12% decrease in area under the concentration-time curve from time 0 extrapolated to infinity, as well as a 42, 31, and 42% decrease in maximum plasma concentration (C _max), respectively. The observed median time to C _max was similar in participants with hepatic impairment and controls. Single-dose administration of elbasvir was well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

The pharmacokinetics of elbasvir after a single, oral 50-mg dose were not clinically meaningfully altered in non-HCV-infected participants with mild, moderate, or severe hepatic dysfunction. However, since elbasvir is currently available only as part of a fixed-dose combination with grazoprevir, the fixed-dose combination should not be administered to patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment, due to the significantly increased plasma grazoprevir exposures in those populations.

The implication of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology in combating human oncoviruses

It is evidenced that 20% of all tumors in humans are caused by oncoviruses, including human papilloma viruses, Epstein-Barr virus, Kaposi sarcoma virus, human polyomaviruses, human T-lymphotrophic virus-1, and hepatitis B and C viruses. Human immunodeficiency virus is also involved in carcinogenesis, although not directly, but by facilitating the infection of many oncoviruses through compromising the immune system. Being intracellular parasites with the property of establishing latency and integrating into the host genome, these viruses are a therapeutic challenge for biomedical researchers. Therefore, strategies able to target nucleotide sequences within episomal or integrated viral genomes are of prime importance in antiviral or anticancerous armamentarium. Recently, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) has emerged as a powerful genome editing tool. Standing out as a precise and efficient oncoviruses method, it has been extensively applied in recent experimental ventures in the field of molecular medicine, particularly in combating infections including tumor inducing viruses. This review is aimed at collating the experimental and clinical advances in CRISPR/Cas9 technology in terms of its applications against oncoviruses. Primarily, it will focus on the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in combating tumor viruses, types of mechanisms targeted, and the significant outcomes till date. The technical pitfalls of the CRISPR/Cas9 and the comparative approaches in evaluating this technique with respect to other available alternatives are also described briefly. Furthermore, the review also discussed the clinical aspects and the ethical, legal, and social issues associated with the use of CRISPR/Cas9.

Vitamin D binding protein polymorphisms influence susceptibility to hepatitis C virus infection in a high-risk Chinese population

Vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) plays an important role in the immune modulation and pathogenesis of hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection by influencing serum vitamin D levels. The present study aims to evaluate the association of VDBP genetic polymorphisms with susceptibility to and chronicity of HCV infection in a high-risk Chinese population. Seven genetic variants in the VDBP gene were genotyped in a case-control study of 886 patients with HCV persistent infection, 539 subjects with spontaneous clearance, and 1081 uninfected controls. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effects of these variants on HCV infection outcomes. The results showed that two variants rs7041-G and rs3733359-T alleles were significantly associated with increased susceptibility of HCV infection, and the combined effect of the two unfavorable alleles was related to an elevated risk of HCV infection in a locus-dosage manner (P_trend = 8.16 × 10^-4). Interaction analysis manifested that rs7041-GT/GG and rs3733359-CT/TT jointly increased risk of HCV infection. Moreover, haplotype analysis suggested that compared with the most frequent TC haplotype, the haplotype carrying GT indicated a risk effect of HCV infection [odds ratio (OR) = 1.464]. However, no significant associations were observed for the other five variants. These findings implied that VDBP rs7041-G and rs3733359-T variants may contribute to increased susceptibility to HCV infection in a high-risk Chinese population.

Evaluation of efficacy of serological methods for detection of HCV infection in blood donors: A single centre experience

Background and Objective:

Blood transfusion is an essential and life-saving medical intervention. Despite multiple preventive measures transfusion-transmitted hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection continues to be a major healthcare issue in Pakistan. This study was conducted at National Institute of Blood Diseases & Bone Marrow Transplantation to evaluate the frequency of active HCV infection with or without co-infection in blood donors and also to determine comparative efficacy of Multisure HCV antibody assay (MHAA); a new serological device.

Methods:

A total of 14652 blood donors visiting National Institute of Blood Diseases & Bone Marrow Transplantation (NIBD) Blood Bank from January 2013 to July 2014 were enrolled and screened for a range of blood borne infections such as HBV, HCV, HIV, malaria and syphilis. The HCV was screened simultaneously by Abbot Architect anti-HCV assay (CLIA) and MHAA. The active HCV infection was confirmed by nucleic acid testing (NAT) in reactive donors. Later; for determination of comparative efficacy of MHAA; all NAT positive samples were further tested using Monolisa™, HCV blot 3.0, Anti-HCV plus V2 and Anti-HCV-MPBIO-EIA.

Results:

The HCV reactive sera were observed in 1.563% (226) donors. The NAT confirmed active HCV infection in 138 donors. Overall 27.84% of HCV positive donors exhibited co-infection either with HBV (2.57%), syphilis (22.78%). Triple infection was not observed in any donor. The efficacy of MHAA is comparable to all the serological tests with a sensitivity of about 96.89%.

Conclusion:

Active HCV infection was present in 0.94% donors. With a sensitivity of 96.89% (95% CI: 95.66-98.12) the multi-parametric device MHAA can effectively detect HCV infection in donors. Thus, it can be used in limited health care settings for HCV screening.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C in Nepal: a systematic review (1973-2017)

Introduction

Hepatitis B and C represent an important co-infection for people living with HIV worldwide. Nepal wants to be part of the international mobilization for viral hepatitis elimination, and has pursued better understanding of the epidemic in its territory through scientific research.

Methods

We performed a systematic review of seroprevalence studies hepatitis B and C in Nepal following the PRISMA 2009 Flow Diagram.

Results

Fifty-four scientific publications and reports were selected for this review. Nearly a quarter of these documents have been issued in recent years and many are authored by non-governmental organizations in Nepal. The collective of information displays a wide range of alarming prevalence rates, particularly for girls and women survivors of human trafficking and a progressive participation of civil society in viral hepatitis epidemiology research in the country.

Conclusion

This paper presents a most complete review of hepatitis B and C and HIV co-infection prevalence studies in different population groups from 1973 to 2016. A comprehensive analysis of the epidemiology and apparent trends in public health research and policy making in Nepal are also addressed in this document. We expect this to be a most important tool for improvements in future interventions for both epidemics in the country.

Sulfur(vi) fluoride exchange as a key reaction for synthesizing biaryl sulfate core derivatives as potent hepatitis C virus NS5A inhibitors and their structure-activity relationship studies

Extremely potent, new hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 5A (NS5A) featuring substituted biaryl sulfate core structures was designed and synthesized. Based on the previously reported novel HCV NS5A inhibitors featuring biaryl sulfate core structures which exhibit two-digit picomolar half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) values against HCV genotype 1b and 2a, the new inhibitors equipped with the sulfate core structures containing diversely substituted aryl groups were explored. In this study, highly efficient, chemoselective coupling reactions between an arylsulfonyl fluoride and an aryl silyl ether, known as the sulfur(vi) fluoride exchange (SuFEx) reaction, were utilized. Among the inhibitors prepared based on the SuFEx chemistry, compounds 14, 15 and 29 exhibited two-digit picomolar EC50 values against GT-1b and single digit or sub nanomolar activities against the HCV GT-2a strain. Nonsymmetrical inhibitors containing an imidazole and amide moieties on each side of the sulfate core structures were also synthesized. In addition, a biotinylated probe targeting NS5A protein was prepared for labeling using the same synthetic methodology.

Hepatitis C virus genotype 3: clinical features, current and emerging viral inhibitors, future challenges

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents a global burden on healthcare that affects over 150 million people worldwide. In the past, HCV genotype 3 was considered difficult to treat relative to other genotypes. Genotype 3 has been associated with a higher rate of complications, including fatty liver disease, fibrosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and mortality. However, with the advent of first- and second-generation direct-acting antivirals, genotype 3 can be treated effectively. Additionally, these new drugs are well tolerated by patients and have significantly fewer side effects compared to ribavirin and interferon-based regimens. However, while great strides have been made in overcoming biological barriers, our next challenge lies in overcoming economic and financial obstacles if we are to eradicate HCV genotype 3. Herein, we review the clinical features associated with HCV genotype 3, current and emerging treatment regimens, and challenges associated with treatment.

Molecular surveillance of HCV mono-infection and HCV-HBV co-infection in symptomatic population at Hyderabad, Pakistan

BACKGROUND

Pakistan is endemic to hepatitis B and C infections. Alarming rise in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been noticed in some areas of Sindh with an increasing risk for co-infection frequency in this region.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the burden of HBV/HCV infection in Hyderabad Pakistan.

METHODS

ELISA and Nucleic acid Amplification test were performed to detect viruses. SPSS and online calculator were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

From a total of 108 seropositive hepatitis patients, 36.1% (n=39) were found HCV RNA-positive. Non-significant differences were observed in the frequencies of HCV infection for both genders [OR=0.735, CI (95%) 0.307-1.761, p<0.05]. The percentage of HBV DNA detection among 108 HCV-seropositive cases was 17.9% (n=19). However, HCV-HBV co-infection in HCV-RNA positive cases was determined in 48.7% (n=19) cases with non-significant difference in both genders [OR=1.51, CI (95%) = 0.38 - 5.96, p< 0.05]. Analysis suggested weakly positive correlation between HCV mono-infection and HCV-HBV co-infection and age (r =0.184, and r =0.1231), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrates a high prevalence of HBV co-infection among active hepatitis C patients of Hyderabad.

HCV non-structural NS4A protein of genotype 3a induces mitochondria mediated death by activating Bax and the caspase cascade

Currently almost 170 million of the world population is suffering with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) that is the major cause of liver diseases, which leads to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Approximately 6% of the Pakistani population is chronically infected with HCV, with genotype 3a being the most prominent strain in Pakistan. Complex of HCV non-structural proteins NS3-4A plays an important role in the viral replication machinery that together has serine protease and helicase activity. Genetic heterogeneity within HCV genotypes makes it pertinent to assess the apoptotic pathway within different HCV genotypes. Findings of present study reveal that HCV genotype 3a NS4A and NS3-NS4A induce cell death in Huh-7 cells. Moreover, our results demonstrated that NS3-4A and NS4A proteins were not only localized on ER but also on the mitochondria. Bax a pro-apoptotic protein was found translocated to the mitochondria in the transfected cells, while up-regulated expression of Bax and down-regulated expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL protein was also observed in the presence of NS4A and NS3-4A proteins. High level of mitochondrial superoxide generation was observed in the transfected cells and NS3-4A and NS4A triggered a cascade of activation starting from caspase-9, then caspase-7 and caspase-3 that ultimately led to the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase PARP. Collectively findings of the present study suggest that NS4A and co-expression of NS3-4A and NS4A of genotype 3a has similar capacity to induce apoptosis through a Bax-triggered, mitochondrial-mediated, caspase cascade.

Value and innovation of direct-acting antivirals: long-term health outcomes of the strategic plan for the management of hepatitis C in Spain

OBJECTIVE

To assess the long-term healthcare costs and health outcomes in association with the access to new direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), during the first year of the National Strategic Plan for Chronic Hepatitis C (SPCHC) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in Spain.

METHODS

A decision tree and a lifetime Markov model were developed to simulate the natural history, morbidity, and mortality of a cohort of 51,900 patients with CHC before (pre-DAA strategy) and after (post-DAA strategy) access to DAAs, following SPCHC approval. The percentage of patients treated, transition probabilities, disease management costs, health state utility values, sustained virologic response rates and treatment costs were obtained from the literature and published data from Spain. The results were expressed in terms of costs (€, 2016), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and prevention of clinical events, with an annual discount rate of 3%.

RESULTS

The post-DAA strategy would prevent 8,667 cases of decompensated cirrhosis, 5,471 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 1,137 liver transplants and 9,608 liver-related deaths. The cohort of 51,900 patients would require investments of 1,606 and 1,230 million euros with the post-DAA and pre-DAA strategies, respectively. This would produce 819,674 and 665,703 QALYs.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of new DAA-based treatments in CHC patients during the first year after the implementation of the SPCHC significantly reduced long-term morbidity and mortality and increased quality of life; demonstrating that this plan is an efficient use of public health resources.

Determination of anti-HCV and quantification of HCV-RNA and IP-10 from dried blood spots sent by regular mail

BACKGROUND

With the introduction of direct acting antivirals, treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in hard-to-reach populations is now feasible. Therefore, new cost-effective and reliable test methods are needed. Determination of HCV antibodies and HCV-RNA from dried blood spots samples could represent one such method. Here we examined whether anti-HCV could be detected-and HCV-RNA quantified-from dried blood spots, sent by regular mail. We also investigated, if IP-10 determined from dried blood spots correlated with fibrosis progression appraised by transient elastography.

METHOD

Forty chronic HCV infected patients were consecutively enrolled. At baseline and after six months, dried blood spots were prepared from blood collected by venous puncture, dried for 4-6 hours, then stored in gas-impermeable plastic bags with a desiccator, before being sent by regular mail. At each visit, approximately six months apart, paired venous samples was obtained and analyzed for anti-HCV, HCV-RNA and IP-10.

RESULTS

Anti-HCV was found in 66/67 of the dried blood spots. Sixty-six paired samples were available for HCV-RNA analysis. A statistically significant correlation was found between log HCV-RNA concentrations in plasma, and log HCV-RNA obtained from (P < 0.0001, Pearson's R 0.6788, R2 0.4607). HCV-RNA, derived from DBS samples, was lower than the corresponding plasma concentration, reflected by a Bland-Altman bias of 3 with SD of bias ± 0.6472. We found no correlation between IP-10 and fibrosis progression.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified anti-HCV in 66/67samples, and quantified IP-10 and HCV-RNA from dried blood spots, dried at room temperature and sent by regular mail. HCV-RNA concentrations from the dried blood spots were lower than corresponding plasma values; a probable result of heparin coated test tubes. We found no correlation between IP-10 and fibrosis progression. Overall, dried blood spots could be a cost-effective and easy-to-use alternative to standard tests for the diagnosis of HCV infections.

Treatment with direct-acting antivirals in a multicenter cohort of HCV-infected inmates in Italy

BACKGROUND

People who are incarcerated have a significantly higher prevalence of HCV infection than the general population. Given their high-risk behavior, they represent a reservoir of HCV infection for the whole community.

METHODS

We evaluated all HCV-infected people who were incarcerated in 25 Italian prisons starting direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) treatment between May 2015 and October 2016. We collected information on demographic characteristics, liver disease, HCV-related aspects, anti-HCV treatment, HIV or HBV co-infection.

RESULTS

We enrolled 142 incarcerated people treated with DAAs. They were mostly Italians (93.7%) and males (98.6%). Median age was 50 years and 108/142 (76.1%) were cirrhotic patients. Prevalent genotypes were 1a (35.9%) and 3 (35.9%). Two patients were HBV co-infected, twenty-one patients (14.8%) were HIV co-infected and almost all (95.2%) received antiretroviral therapy. 118/142 (83.1%) DAAs-based regimens included sofosbuvir. Treatment completion rate was 94.4%. There were eight (5.6%) discontinuations, one (0.7%) due to an adverse reaction, one due to death (0.7%) and six (5.6%) due to release from prison. SVR12 was achieved in 90.8%. Four patients relapsed but no breakthrough occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that in Italian penitentiary settings DAAs treatment is feasible and effective. This intervention is crucial for reducing HCV circulation with possible benefits to the general population.

ADAR1 affects HCV infection by modulating innate immune response

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a globally prevalent infectious pathogen. As many as 80% of people infected with HCV do not control the virus and develop a chronic infection. Response to interferon (IFN) therapy is widely variable in chronic HCV infected patients, suggesting that HCV has evolved mechanisms to suppress and evade innate immunity responsible for its control and elimination. Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) is a relevant factor in the regulation of the innate immune response. The loss of ADAR1 RNA-editing activity and the resulting loss of inosine bases in RNA are critical in producing aberrant RLR-mediated innate immune response, mediated by RNA sensors MDA5 and RIG-I. Here, we describe ADAR1 role as a regulator of innate and antiviral immune function in HCV infection, both in vitro and in patients. Polymorphisms within ADAR1 gene were found significantly associated to poor clinical outcome to HCV therapy and advanced liver fibrosis in a cohort of HCV and HIV-1 coinfected patients. Moreover, ADAR1 knockdown in primary macrophages and Huh7 hepatoma cells enhanced IFN and IFN stimulated gene expression and increased HCV replication in vitro. Overall, our results demonstrate that ADAR1 regulates innate immune signaling and is an important contributor to the outcome of the HCV virus-host interaction. ADAR1 is a potential target to boost antiviral immune response in HCV infection.

Inflammatory Biomarkers and Liver Histopathology in Non-Uremic and Uremic Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to investigate the association between hepatic activity index (HAI) and fibrosis score (FS) with inflammation biomarkers in non-uremic and uremic hepatitis C positive patients.

METHODS

Fifty chronic hepatitis C (cHepC) positive patients, having a liver biopsy were included in this study. Liver biopsies were scored according to modified ISHAC scoring system. 25 healthy controls of similar age and gender were also enrolled as control group. Serum YKL-40, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), thrombocyte/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), CRP and Immunoglobulin (IgG, A and M) levels were used to determine inflammation. AST to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) score was also evaluated. According to biopsy findings patients were divided into 2 groups: low (0-2) and severe (3-6) FS.

RESULTS

Patients with cHepC had increased inflammation compared to the healthy controls. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients had higher levels of inflammation markers (NLR, IgG, CRP and YKL-40) and lower HCV RNA levels, HAI and FS compared to non-uremic patients. When patients were grouped into 2 according to FS as mild and severe, IgG (p < 0.001), YKL-40 (p = 0.02) levels and APRI score (p = 0.002) were significantly higher compared to mild FS (p = 0.002). YKL-40 levels (t value: 3.48; p = 0.001) and APRI score (t value: 4.57, p < 0.001) were found as independent associated with FS in non-uremic patients. However, in adjusted models, only APRI score (t value: 3.98, p = 0.002) was an independent associated with FS in ESRD patients.

CONCLUSION

In non-uremic cHepC patients, YKL-40 levels and APRI score may be valuable markers of FS. In ESRD patients, there is not sufficient data for prediction of HAI and FS. In these patients, APRI score may provide better information.

An Educational Needs Assessment for Patients with Liver Disease

INTRODUCTION

Liver disease forms a global health burden and is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality. Good patient education has proven to be a key tool in disease management, providing significant benefit in knowledge and behavioral modifications. To develop effective educational tools, a good understanding of patient educational needs and preferred learning methods is necessary. Few studies have evaluated the educational needs of patients with liver disease. This study aims to assess the educational needs of patients at a large tertiary liver center.

METHOD

This study was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study evaluating patient demographics,perceived and unperceived educational needs (hepatitis B and hepatitis Cknowledge) at a tertiary liver centre.

RESULTS

A total of 300 patients completed the questionnaire. Most patients stated they were "extremely" or "quite" interested in learning more about their liver condition (84.9%, n=242), in either "moderate" or "a lot of" detail (94.6%, n=202). There was no association between gender, age, level of education, annual income and interest of patients in learning more about their liver condition. There was a significant association between number of clinic visits and interest to learn more (p=0.022), but there was no association between the duration of their follow-up at the clinic and their interest to learn more (p=0.243).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, patients showed great interest in learning more about their liver condition, potentially indicating a need for more educational programs. Most patients prefer reading (via internet or pamphlets/brochures) or one-to-one discussions, giving us a good sense of potentially successful educational strategies that will fit the needs of most patients.

Impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antiviral treatment on the need for liver transplantation (LT)

BACKGROUND

Therapies for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have revolutionized the treatment of patients with chronic HCV infection. The effect of these therapies on the epidemiology of liver transplantation (LT) has yet to be elucidated.

AIM

To establish whether the indications for LT have changed as a result of the introduction of new therapies for HCV.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study based on a prospectively maintained registry of patients who undergo LT at La Fe Hospital in Valencia from 1997 to 2016. An analysis of outcome measures over time stratified by LT indications was performed.

RESULTS

From January 1997 to December 2016, 2379 patients were listed for LT. Of these, 1113 (47%) were listed for HCV cirrhosis±hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This percentage varied significantly over time declining from 48.8% in the 1997-2009 initial period (IFN-based regimens) to 33% in the 2014-2016 final period (DAAs regimens) (P = .03). However, during that period, the proportion of those included in the waiting list (WL) due to HCV-HCC increased significantly (P = .001). In addition, among HCV-positive waitlisted patients with decompensated cirrhosis without HCC, the proportion of those with an HCV-alcohol mixed etiology also increased significantly over time (P = .001). Of all HCV-positive waitlisted patients, 203 were eventually removed from the WL due to either clinical improvement (n = 77) or more frequently worsening/death (n = 126).

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of patients wait-listed for LT for decompensated HCV cirrhosis has significantly decreased over time. These changes are possibly related to the large-scale use of direct-acting antivirals.

Effectiveness and tolerability of direct-acting antivirals for chronic hepatitis C patients in a Southern state of Brazil

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness in terms of sustained virological response and tolerability of available second generation direct-acting antivirals in Brazilian patients.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study conducted in six centers in Southern Brazil. The sample comprised adult patients who were chronically infected with hepatitis C virus, regardless of virus genotype, fibrosis stage, or prior treatment. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the effectiveness among the treatments, and also to uncover the factors influencing the achievement of sustained virological response.

Results

A total of 296 patients were included in the study, with the majority receiving sofosbuvir with daclatasvir (59%) or sofosbuvir with simeprevir (26%). Overall sustained virological response rates were approximately 91.6%. For genotype 1, sofosbuvir with daclatasvir had an sustained virological response rate of approximately 95%, while the sustained virological response rate of sofosbuvir with simeprevir was 92%; this difference was statistically significant only for subtype 1b. The only treatment used for genotype 3 patients was sofosbuvir with daclatasvir, and lower rates of sustained virological response were observed for this group, compared to genotype 1 (84% versus 95%, p < 0.05). Apart from this difference between genotypes, and a difference between patients who achieved rapid virologic response compared with those who did not, there were no other statistically significant factors associated with sustained virological response.

Conclusions

The results point to the effectiveness of second-generation direct-acting antivirals in hepatitis C virus Brazilian patients, especially those with genotype 1. Furthermore, that patients with genotype 3 need more attention and adjustments in available treatment options.

Prediction of Health Utility Scores in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Using the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire-Hepatitis C Version (CLDQ-HCV)

BACKGROUND

Preference-based health utilities are used in economic analyses of disease burden and health care interventions. When specifically designed instruments cannot be applied, mapping algorithms for non-preference-based instruments can be used for prediction of health utility scores.

OBJECTIVES

To develop a mapping algorithm for the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire-Hepatitis C Version (CLDQ-HCV), the hepatitis C virus-specific quality-of-life instrument.

METHODS

We used a sample of patients with HCV who completed the short form 36 health survey and the CLDQ-HCV in clinical trials; six-dimensional health state short form (SF-6D) utilities were derived from the 36-item short form health survey. Regression models with components of the CLDQ-HCV being predictors and SF-6D being the outcome were developed and tested in an independent testing set and in clinically significant subpopulations.

RESULTS

The sample of 34,822 records was split (4:1) into training and testing set. Simple mixed models had a root mean square error up to 0.088; predicted and observed utilities were highly correlated (Pearson correlation 0.81-0.82) although predicted utilities were underestimated in the range closest to perfect scores. Generalized linear models had better average accuracy (root mean square error up to 0.0839; correlations up to 0.844) and significantly better accuracy in the highest values (median error up to 0.065). Accuracy in the independent testing set was nearly identical, and so was accuracy in patients with compensated and decompensated cirrhosis; the errors of group means were less than 0.015.

CONCLUSIONS

A number of linear models for mapping domains or items of CLDQ-HCV to SF-6D health utilities have been developed. The models have excellent accuracy at the group level. Predicted health utility scores can be used in further economic analyses involving patients with HCV.

Maternal viral mimetic administration at the beginning of fetal hypothalamic nuclei development accelerates puberty in female rat offspring

This study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal viral infection during a critical time window of fetal hypothalamic development on timing of puberty in the female offspring. For that purpose, a viral mimetic (i.e., synthetic double-strand RNA, namely, polyinosinic–polycytidylic acid, poly (I:C)) or saline was injected (i.p.) to the pregnant rats during the beginning (day 12 of pregnancy, n = 5 for each group) or at the end of this time window (day 14 of pregnancy, n = 5 for each group). Four study groups were formed from the female pups (n = 9–10 pups/group). Following weaning of pups, vaginal opening and vaginal smearing was studied daily until 2 sequential estrous cycles were observed. During the second diestrus phase, blood samples were taken for progesterone, leptin, corticosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. Maternal poly (I:C) injection on day 12 of pregnancy increased body mass and reduced the time to puberty in the female offspring. Neither poly (I:C) nor timing of injection affected other parameters studied (p > 0.05). It has been shown for the first time that maternal viral infection during the beginning of fetal hypothalamic development might hasten puberty by increasing body mass in rat offspring.

Hepatitis C Virus-Associated Cancers

Most hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in persistent infection. Significant portion of chronic HCV-infected patients develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Chronic hepatitis C is also associated with extrahepatic manifestations, including cryoglobulinemia, lymphoma, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and neurological disorders. The molecular mechanisms of how HCV infection causes liver cancer are largely unknown. HCV replication or viral proteins may perturb cellular hemostasis and induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS); viral components or viral replication products act as agonist to trigger innate immune response and cause chronic inflammation. Within the liver, non-hepatocytes such as hepatic stellate cell (HSC) are activated upon HCV infection to provide the major source of extracellular proteins and play important roles in fibrogenesis. With the great achievements of HCV treatment, especially the direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) against HCV, HCV eradication is possible. However, until now there are only very limited data on the effect of DAA-based anti-HCV treatment on HCC patients.

A facile synthesis of 3D NiFe2O4 nanospheres anchored on a novel ionic liquid modified reduced graphene oxide for electrochemical sensing of ledipasvir: Application to human pharmacokinetic study

Novel and sensitive electrochemical sensor was fabricated for the assay of anti-HCV ledipasvir (LEDV) in different matrices. The designed sensor was based on 3D spinel ferromagnetic NiFe₂O₄ nanospheres and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) supported by morpholinium acid sulphate (MHS), as an ionic liquid (RGO/NSNiFe₂O₄/MHS). This sensor design was assigned to synergistically tailor the unique properties of nanostructured ferrites, RGO, and ionic liquid to maximize the sensor response. Electrode modification prevented aggregation of NiFe₂O_4, increasing electroactive surface area and allowed remarkable electro-catalytic oxidation of LEDV with an enhanced oxidation response. Differential pulse voltammetry was used for detection LEDV in complex matrices whereas; cyclic voltammetry and other techniques were employed to characterize the developed sensor properties. All experimental factors regarding sensor fabrication and chemical sensing properties were carefully studied and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the designated sensor displayed a wide linear range (0.4-350 ng mL^-1) with LOD of 0.133 ng mL^-1. Additionally, the proposed sensor demonstrated good selectivity, stability and reproducibility, enabling the quantitative detection of LEDV in Harvoni^® tablets, human plasma and in a pharmacokinetic study. Our findings suggest that the developed sensor is a potential prototype material for fabrication of high-performance electrochemical sensors.

Neurological manifestations in chronic hepatitis C patients receiving care in a reference hospital in sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Chronic hepatitis C infection is a major public health concern, with a high burden in Sub-Saharan Africa. There is growing evidence that chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes neurological complications. This study aimed at assessing the prevalence and factors associated with neurological manifestations in chronic hepatitis C patients.

METHODS

Through a cross-sectional design, a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from consecutive chronic HCV infected patients attending the outpatient gastroenterology unit of the Douala General Hospital (DGH). Data collection was by interview, patient record review (including HCV RNA quantification, HCV genotyping and the assessment of liver fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity), clinical examination complemented by 3 tools; Neuropathic pain diagnostic questionnaire, Brief peripheral neuropathy screen and mini mental state examination score. Data were analysed using Statistical package for social sciences version 20 for windows.

RESULTS

Of the 121 chronic hepatitis C patients (51.2% males) recruited, 54.5% (95% Confidence interval: 46.3%, 62.8%) had at least one neurological manifestation, with peripheral nervous system manifestations being more common (50.4%). Age ≥ 55 years (Adjusted Odds Ratio: 4.82, 95%CI: 1.02-18.81, p = 0.02), longer duration of illness (AOR: 1.012, 95%CI: 1.00-1.02, p = 0.01) and high viral load (AOR: 3.40, 95% CI: 1.20-9.64, p = 0.02) were significantly associated with neurological manifestations. Peripheral neuropathy was the most common neurological manifestation (49.6%), presenting mainly as sensory neuropathy (47.9%). Age ≥ 55 years (AOR: 6.25, 95%CI: 1.33-29.08, p = 0.02) and longer duration of illness (AOR: 1.01, 1.00-1.02, p = 0.01) were significantly associated with peripheral neuropathy.

CONCLUSION

Over half of the patients with chronic hepatitis C attending the DGH have a neurological manifestation, mainly presenting as sensory peripheral neuropathy. Routine screening of chronic hepatitis C patients for peripheral neuropathy is therefore necessary, with prime focus on those with older age and longer duration of illness.

Should we treat acute hepatitis C? A decision and cost-effectiveness analysis

It is not standard practice to treat patients with acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, as the incidence of HCV in the United States continues to rise, it may be time to re-evaluate acute HCV management in the era of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents. In this study, a microsimulation model was developed to analyze the trade-offs between initiating HCV therapy in the acute versus chronic phase of infection. By simulating the lifetime clinical course of patients with acute HCV infection, we were able to project long-term outcomes such as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and costs. We found that treating acute HCV versus deferring treatment until the chronic phase increased QALYs by 0.02 and increased costs by $483 in patients not at risk of transmitting HCV. The resulting incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $19,991 per QALY, demonstrating that treatment of acute HCV was cost-effective using a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000 per QALY. In patients at risk of transmitting HCV, treating acute HCV became cost-saving, increasing QALYs by 0.03 and decreasing costs by $3,655.

CONCLUSION

Immediate treatment of acute HCV with DAAs can improve clinical outcomes and be highly cost-effective or cost-saving compared with deferring treatment until the chronic phase of infection. If future studies continue to demonstrate effective HCV cure with shorter 6-week treatment duration, then it may be time to revisit current HCV guidelines to incorporate recommendations that account for the clinical and economic benefits of treating acute HCV in the era of DAAs. (Hepatology 2018;67:837-846).

The effect of the first-generation HCV-protease inhibitors boceprevir and telaprevir and the relation to baseline NS3 resistance mutations in genotype 1: experience from a small Swedish cohort

BACKGROUND

The clinical experience with protease-inhibitor (PI) triple regimen appears disappointing regarding effect, side effects, high work load, and costs. This real-world study evaluates baseline and emerging resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) and their significance for treatment outcome.

METHOD

Thirty-six genotype 1a/b patients treated according to Swedish recommendations during 2011-2013 with triple therapy including pegylated interferon and ribavirin in combination with a protease-inhibitor, either boceprevir (BOC) or telaprevir (TVR), were retrospectively evaluated. Frozen serum samples from the patients were tested for resistance with pan-genotypic population sequencing.

RESULTS

Overall, 56% (20/36) of the patients achieved sustained viral response (SVR). The SVR was comparable between BOC (64%; 9/14) and TVR (50%; 11/22) (p = 0.07), and the IL28B type non-CC (48%; 12/25) and CC (46%; 6/13) (p = 0.77). The SVR was higher in patients without cirrhosis (89.5%; 17/19) (p < 0.0005), in treatment-naïve patients (70%; 14/20) (p = 0.02), and those with low viral load (<800,000 IU/mL) (66.7%; 8/12) (p < 0.0002), compared to those with cirrhosis (17.6%; 3/17), treatment-experienced (37.5%; 6/16), and high viral load (>800,000 IU/mL) (50%; 12/24).

CONCLUSION

PI triple regimes were highly effective in treatment-naïve patients without cirrhosis, but in this real-world cohort an inferior effect was evident in cirrhotic and treatment-experienced patients. Although tested on a limited sample, the baseline resistance testing seems to have no impact on prediction of therapy outcome. The reason could be that the baseline RASs T54S and V55A have relatively low resistance towards BOC and TVR. Emerging RASs, mainly R155K, with known high resistance to BOC and TVR were frequently found in non-responders.

Hepatitis C virus plays with fire and yet avoids getting burned. A review for clinicians on processing bodies and stress granules

Over the last few years, many reports have defined several types of RNA cell granules composed of proteins and messenger RNA (mRNA) that regulate gene expression on a post-transcriptional level. Processing bodies (P-bodies) and stress granules (SGs) are among the best-known RNA granules, only detectable when they accumulate into very dynamic cytosolic foci. Recently, a tight association has been found between positive-stranded RNA viruses, including hepatitis C virus (HCV), and these granules. The present article offers a comprehensive review on the complex and paradoxical relationship between HCV, P-bodies and SGs from a translational perspective. Despite the fact that components of P-bodies and SGs have assiduously controlled mRNA expression, either by sequestration or degradation, for thousands of years, HCV has learned how to dangerously exploit certain of them for its own benefit in an endless biological war. Thus, HCV has gained the ability to hack ancient host machineries inherited from prokaryotic times. While P-bodies and SGs are crucial to the HCV cycle, in the interferon-free era we still lack detailed knowledge of the mechanisms involved, processes that may underlie the long-term complications of HCV infection.

Usefulness of semiquantitative PCR-Invader assay for selecting candidates for daclatasvir plus asunaprevir combination therapy among patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1b

AIMS

PCR-Invader is a highly sensitive assay for detecting non-structural protein 5A (NS5A) resistance-associated variants (RAVs) of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Here, we validated the accuracy of the semiquantitative PCR-Invader (SQ-PI) assay compared to direct sequencing (DS) for identifying NS5A RAVs, and we evaluated the treatment efficacy of daclatasvir plus asunaprevir (DCV + ASV) for patients judged to be non-positive for NS5A RAVs by SQ-PI.

METHODS

Detection rates of NS5A RAVs by SQ-PI and DS were compared for 204 patients with HCV genotype 1b. Patients with non-positive results for NS5A RAVs by SQ-PI were treated by DCV + ASV, and the efficacy of this treatment was examined.

RESULTS

All samples judged as negative for NS5A RAVs by SQ-PI were similarly judged by DS. However, 29.7% of samples judged as negative for Y93H by DS were judged as weakly positive or positive by SQ-PI. Among 108 patients who were judged as negative by SQ-PI and treated by DCV + ASV, rates of sustained virologic response at 24 weeks (SVR24) were 96.3% in intention-to-treat analysis and 99.0% in patients who completed treatment. Among patients who were weakly positive for Y93H on SQ-PI, the SVR24 rate was 95.0% (19/20). This rate was 100% (78/78) in patients who were negative for Y93H on SQ-PI and completed treatment.

CONCLUSION

Treatment efficacy of DCV + ASV was extremely high among patients who were non-positive for NS5A RAVs on SQ-PI, especially for patients with negative results.

Safety of biologic agents for psoriasis in patients with viral hepatitis

INTRODUCTION

Biologics are highly effective, important treatment options for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Biologics are well tolerated and have few side effects. However, the use of biologics in patients with concomitant chronic viral hepatitis is debatable. Recent reports have suggested a very low associated risk of reactivation of chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCB).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of biologics for moderate to severe psoriasis patients with concomitant chronic viral hepatitis.

METHODS

We followed 39 patients with psoriasis and concurrent chronic viral hepatitis (chronic inactive and occult cases) with no clinical signs and/or lab indication of active liver disease) treated with biologic agents for at least 24 weeks. Patients were regularly monitored for reactivation of viral hepatitis with liver enzymes, viral DNA load, and viral markers.

RESULTS

There was no evidence of viral reactivation until the last available lab investigation results (done three months after stopping the medication). None of the patients showed signs or symptoms of liver failure.

CONCLUSION

The use of biologic therapy appeared safe and effective in this small cohort of selected patients with chronic HBV and HCV infection. Close monitoring for HBV and HCV viral load is recommended for patients with high-risk factors.

Longitudinal injecting risk behaviours among people with a history of injecting drug use in an Australian prison setting: The HITS-p study

BACKGROUND

HCV transmission remains high in prisons globally. Understanding injecting risk behaviours in prisons is crucial to effectively develop and implement HCV prevention programs in this setting including treatment as prevention.

METHODS

HITS-p is a cohort study which enrolled people with a history of injecting drug use in prisons in NSW, Australia from 2005 to 2013. Participants completed an interview at enrolment and follow-up visits to determine injecting behaviours. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) and logistic regression methods were used to assess injecting risk behaviours prior to and following prison entry and to investigate injecting risk behaviours in prison.

RESULTS

Overall, 499 participants with a history of injecting drug use were included (median age, 26 years; 65% male). Participants were significantly less likely to inject drugs following incarceration. Among injectors, participants were less likely to inject ≥weekly but more likely to share a needle/syringe. At enrolment, the proportion reporting any injecting, ≥weekly injecting, and needle/syringe sharing in prison was highest among younger individuals. Younger age was associated with both re-initiation and continuation of injecting drug use following prison entry. Among those continuously imprisoned, younger age was associated with increased odds of any injecting, ≥weekly injecting, and sharing a needle/syringe.

CONCLUSIONS

Upon entry to prison, injecting drug use decreased but syringe sharing increased among injectors. Younger individuals are most likely to exhibit high-risk injecting behaviours in prison. These data highlight the need for improved HCV prevention strategies (including improved needle/syringe access and scale up of HCV therapy) for those at increased risk of HCV transmission in prison, including younger individuals.

Authentic Patient-Derived Hepatitis C Virus Infects and Productively Replicates in Primary CD4+ and CD8+ T Lymphocytes In Vitro

Accumulated evidence indicates that immune cells can support the replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in infected patients and in culture. However, there is a scarcity of data on the degree to which individual immune cell types support HCV propagation and on characteristics of virus assembly. We investigated the ability of authentic, patient-derived HCV to infect in vitro two closely related but functionally distinct immune cell types, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T lymphocytes, and assessed the properties of the virus produced by these cells. The HCV replication system in intermittently mitogen-stimulated T cells was adapted to infect primary human CD4⁺ or CD8⁺ T lymphocytes. HCV replicated in both cell types although at significantly higher levels in CD4⁺ than in CD8⁺ T cells. Thus, the HCV RNA replicative (negative) strand was detected in CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells at estimated mean levels ± standard errors of the means of 6.7 × 10² ± 3.8 × 10² and 1.2 × 10² ± 0.8 × 10² copies/μg RNA, respectively (P < 0.0001). Intracellular HCV NS5a and/or core proteins were identified in 0.9% of CD4⁺ and in 1.2% of CD8⁺ T cells. Double staining for NS5a and T cell type-specific markers confirmed that transcriptionally competent virus replicated in both cell types. Furthermore, an HCV-specific protease inhibitor, telaprevir, inhibited infection in both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells. The emergence of unique HCV variants and the release of HCV RNA-reactive particles with biophysical properties different from those of virions in plasma inocula suggested that distinct viral particles were assembled, and therefore, they may contribute to the pool of circulating virus in infected patients.IMPORTANCE Although the liver is the main site of HCV replication, infection of the immune system is an intrinsic characteristic of this virus independent of whether infection is symptomatic or clinically silent. Many fundamental aspects of HCV lymphotropism remain uncertain, including the degree to which different immune cells support infection and contribute to virus diversity. We show that authentic, patient-derived HCV productively replicates in vitro in two closely related but functionally distinct types of T lymphocytes, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells. The display of viral proteins and unique variants, the production of virions with biophysical properties distinct from those in plasma serving as inocula, and inhibition of replication by an antiviral agent led us to ascertain that both T cell subtypes supported virus propagation. Infection of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, which are central to adaptive antiviral immune responses, can directly affect HCV clearance, favor virus persistence, and decisively influence the development and progression of hepatitis C.

Successful Treatment of Oral Lichen Planus with Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents after Liver Transplantation for Hepatitis C Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is frequently associated with various extrahepatic manifestations, such as autoimmune features and immune complex deposit diseases. Oral lichen planus (OLP) is one such extrahepatic manifestation of HCV infection. Recently, direct-acting antivirals (DAA) have proved to be highly effective and safe for the eradication of HCV. Herein, we report a case of OLP accompanied by HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that disappeared after liver transplantation and achievement of sustained virological response following interferon (IFN)-free treatment with ledipasvir (LDV) and sofosbuvir (SOF). The 50-year-old patient developed erosive OLP during IFN therapy, with hyperthyroidism at 53 years of age and HCC at 55 years. He received immunosuppressive drugs and IFN-free DAA treatment after liver transplantation at 60 years of age, which led to disappearance of the symptoms of OLP. The patient was treated safely and effectively with LDV/SOF, although it is not known whether the disappearance of OLP resulted from the eradication of HCV or the immunosuppressive therapy.

HIV and hepatitis B and C co-infection among people who inject drugs in Zanzibar

BACKGROUND

People who inject drugs are at high risk of acquiring hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to risky injection and sexual practices. The objective of this study is to investigate the epidemiology of HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, and co-infection of these viruses among people who inject drugs in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

METHODS

We used respondent-driven sampling to identify 408 participants, from whom we collected demographic data, information on sexual behaviours and injection drug practices, and blood samples for biological testing.

RESULTS

Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigenaemia, HCV, and HIV infection were 5.9, 25.4, and 11.3%, respectively. Of the participants who were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive, 33.5% were infected with HCV and 18.8% were infected with HIV. Of the HCV-infected participants, 29.3% were infected with HIV. Of the participants who were infected with HIV, 9.0% were HBsAg positive, 66.6% had HCV and 8.5% had both. None of the potential risk factors we measured were associated with HBsAg positivity. In contrast, older age and longer duration of injection drug use were independently associated with HCV infection. HCV infection among people who inject drugs is lower in Zanzibar than in other countries, but could rise without proper interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the importance of screening people who inject drugs for HIV, HBsAg, and HCV; providing HBV vaccination to those who are eligible; initiating antiretroviral therapy for those who are co-infected with HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV; and introducing interventions that have high impact on reducing needle sharing.

Dramatic response of hepatitis C patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 3 to sofosbuvir-based therapies in Punjab, Pakistan: A prospective study

AIM

To prospectively evaluate the efficacy of sofobuvir (SOF) in hepatitis C patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 3 in Pakistan.

METHODS

The present study was performed with the coordination of gastroenterology and pathology departments of Shalamar Hospital Lahore from August 2014 to May 2016. The total number of patients included in this study was 1375 and all of them were infected with HCV genotype 3. On the basis of drug combinations, all the patients were separated into two groups. The first group of patients was treated for 24 wk with SOF (Sovaldi^® by Gilead Sciences) plus ribavirin (RBV) [Ribazol^® by Getz Pharma Pakistan (PVT) Ltd], while the patients of the second group were treated with SOF + RBV + pegylated-interferon (pegIFN) alfa-2a (Ropegra by Roach) for 12 wk. HCV genotyping and viral load measurement were performed on fully automated Abbott Real-Time PCR system (Abbott m24sp automated nucleic acid extraction system and Abbott m2000rt amplification system; abbott Molecular, Des Plaines, IL, United States). For the assessment of sustained virological response (SVR), all HCV RNA negative patients were followed for 12 weeks after the treatment completion. Any patient with less than 12 IU/mL viral load after 12 wk of treatment completion was considered as a sustained virological responder (SVR-12).

RESULTS

A total of 1375 patients chronically infected with HCV genotype 3 were treated with two drug combinations SOF + RBV and SOF + RBV + pegIFN alfa-2a. On the basis of these drug combinations, patients were divided into two groups (first and second). Overall SVR-12 was excellent in both groups (99.17% and 97.91%). Older patients (> 40 years) of second group showed lower SVR-12 (93.46%) compared to first group older patients (98.79%), while in the younger patients of both groups, the SVR-12 rate was almost the same (99.54% in first group and 99.05% in second group). No such difference regarding SVR-12 rate was seen in males and females of first group patients (99.68% and 98.88%, respectively), while in second group the males were found to be better responders compared to females (98.96% and 95%). The SVR-12 rate in previously treated patients of first group was better (99.34%) than second group (93.70%), while naïve patients of second group were marginally better responders (99.25%) than first group (97.80%). Rapid viral response at week-4 was found to be a very effective predictor for assessing the SVR rate at this stage of therapy in both groups. Headache, anemia and fatigue were common side effects in both groups either treated with SOF + RBV or SOF + RBV + pegIFN alfa-2a, while the overall percentage of the side effects was higher in second group.

CONCLUSION

The remarkable SVR response rate of HCV genotype 3 infected patients to SOF provided a new way to look forward to eliminate hepatitis C from our region.

Exposure source prevalence is associated with gender in hepatitis C virus patients from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide public health problem. A characterisation of the differences in exposure sources among genders will enable improvements in surveillance actions.

METHODS

Exposure data were obtained for 1180 confirmed HCV cases Brazil's mandatory reporting to epidemiological surveillance, which was directed by a reference laboratory in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Chi-square test (χ2) was used to assess the associations between exposure sources and gender. The prevalence ratio (PR) was calculated for exposures that showed an association.

RESULTS

The results showed 57.7% cases were female, and associations with snorting drugs, sexual activity, surgery, aesthetic procedures, blood transfusions, and educational level were observed (p < 0.001). Men showed 2.53 (1.33-3.57), 4.83 (3.54-6.59), and 2.18 (1.33-3.57) times more exposure to sniffing drugs, risky sex and higher levels of education, respectively, than women. Women demonstrated 4.46 (3.21-6.21), 1.94 (1.43-2.63), and 3.10 (2.09-4.61) times more exposure to surgery, aesthetic procedures, and blood transfusions, respectively, than men.

CONCLUSION

Our results showed differences in risk behaviours associated with gender among HCV carriers. These data are likely to significantly influence clinical practice regarding the adoption of specific approaches for counselling and control policies to prevent the emergence of new cases and break the chain of transmission of the virus.

The Strange, Expanding World of Animal Hepaciviruses

Hepaciviruses and pegiviruses constitute two closely related sister genera of the family Flaviviridae. In the past five years, the known phylogenetic diversity of the hepacivirus genera has absolutely exploded. What was once an isolated infection in humans (and possibly other primates) has now expanded to include horses, rodents, bats, colobus monkeys, cows, and, most recently, catsharks, shedding new light on the genetic diversity and host range of hepaciviruses. Interestingly, despite the identification of these many animal and primate hepaciviruses, the equine hepaciviruses remain the closest genetic relatives of the human hepaciviruses, providing an intriguing clue to the zoonotic source of hepatitis C virus. This review summarizes the significance of these studies and discusses current thinking about the origin and evolution of the animal hepaciviruses as well as their potential usage as surrogate models for the study of hepatitis C virus.

Knowledge, attitude and behaviour regarding hepatitis C virus infection amongst Brazilian dental students

AIM

Dental health professionals, including dental students, are at high risk of exposure to infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) through occupational percutaneous injuries and eye exposure. Further, fear of HCV infection is associated with discriminatory attitudes. The current study aimed to evaluate the knowledge about HCV infection amongst dental students and their attitudes towards patients infected with HCV.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst 340 Brazilian dental students from two public universities using an instrument containing information regarding demographic characteristics, knowledge of HCV and attitudes towards patients with HCV infection. Descriptive statistics, Fisher's exact test, Student's t-tests, Mann-Whitney U-test and multiple logistic regression (MLR) were carried out (P < 0.05 was considered significant).

RESULTS

Response rate was 90% (n = 306), and more than half (54%, n = 165) of participants had high knowledge level (above the mean); 97.7% (n = 299) demonstrated positive attitudes. MLR showed that high knowledge of dental students regarding HCV was substantially influenced by advancement in year of study (last year; P < 0.001) and type of university (federal; P = 0.049). Positive attitude towards HCV-infected patients was mainly influenced by age (P = 0.004) and male gender (P = 0.022).

CONCLUSIONS

These results demonstrated a satisfactory knowledge about HCV infection amongst dental students, but some gaps were observed, suggesting the importance of continuous education about HCV in this population to prevent HCV infection as well as discrimination and prejudice towards patients with hepatitis C.

Diagnostic accuracy of tests to detect Hepatitis C antibody: a meta-analysis and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Although direct-acting antivirals can achieve sustained virological response rates greater than 90% in Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infected persons, at present the majority of HCV-infected individuals remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated. While there are a wide range of HCV serological tests available, there is a lack of formal assessment of their diagnostic performance. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate he diagnostic accuracy of available rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) and laboratory based EIA assays in detecting antibodies to HCV.

METHODS

We used the PRISMA checklist and Cochrane guidance to develop our search protocol. The search strategy was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42015023567). The search focused on hepatitis C, diagnostic tests, and diagnostic accuracy within eight databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Science Citation Index Expanded, Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science, SCOPUS, Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde and WHO Global Index Medicus. Studies were included if they evaluated an assay to determine the sensitivity and specificity of HCV antibody (HCV Ab) in humans. Two reviewers independently extracted data and performed a quality assessment of the studies using the QUADAS tool. We pooled test estimates using the DerSimonian-Laird method, by using the software R and RevMan. 5.3.

RESULTS

A total of 52 studies were identified that included 52,673 unique test measurements. Based on five studies, the pooled sensitivity and specificity of HCV Ab rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) were 98% (95% CI 98-100%) and 100% (95% CI 100-100%) compared to an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) reference standard. High HCV Ab RDTs sensitivity and specificity were observed across screening populations (general population, high risk populations, and hospital patients) using different reference standards (EIA, nucleic acid testing, immunoblot). There were insufficient studies to undertake subanalyses based on HIV co-infection. Oral HCV Ab RDTs also had excellent sensitivity and specificity compared to blood reference tests, respectively at 94% (95% CI 93-96%) and 100% (95% CI 100-100%). Among studies that assessed individual oral RDTs, the eight studies revealed that OraQuick ADVANCE® had a slightly higher sensitivity (98%, 95% CI 97-98%) compared to the other oral brands (pooled sensitivity: 88%, 95% CI 84-92%).

CONCLUSIONS

RDTs, including oral tests, have excellent sensitivity and specificity compared to laboratory-based methods for HCV antibody detection across a wide range of settings. Oral HCV Ab RDTs had good sensitivity and specificity compared to blood reference standards.

Clinical evaluation of sofosbuvir/ledipasvir in patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 with and without prior daclatasvir/asunaprevir therapy

AIM

This study explored treatment outcomes of sofosbuvir (SOF)/ledipasvir (LDV) therapy for chronic hepatitis C patients with and without prior daclatasvir (DCV)/asunaprevir (ASV) therapy.

METHODS

Overall, 530 Japanese patients who were infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 received SOF/LDV therapy for 12 weeks, and resistance-associated variants (RAVs) in the hepatitis C virus non-structural protein (NS)5A and NS5B regions were assessed at baseline and virological relapse by direct sequencing.

RESULTS

Sustained virological response (SVR) rates did not significantly differ between patients with and without NS5A Y93H/N (94.2% [113/120] vs. 97.7% [345/353]), but the SVR rate was significantly lower in patients with prior DCV/ASV therapy compared to those without (69.2% [18/26] vs. 98.4% [496/504], P < 0.001). Among 26 patients with prior DCV/ASV therapy, the prevalence of NS5A multi-RAVs (≥2) was similar between responders and non-responders (61% [11/18] vs. 75% [5/8]), but all patients without RAVs achieved SVR. Multivariate analysis showed that prior DCV/ASV therapy and history of hepatocellular carcinoma were independently associated with treatment failure (odds ratio, 37.55; 95% confidence interval, 10.78-130.76; P < 0.001 for prior DCV/ASV therapy; odds ratio, 4.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-18.04; P = 0.03 for the history of HCC). All SOF/LDV failure patients (n = 8) with prior DCV/ASV treatment had two or more factors of cirrhosis, IL28B unfavorable genotype, and baseline NS5A multi-RAVs. The multiple NS5A RAVs had increased but NS5B substitutions, C316N/A207T/A218S or L159F, had not changed at the time of relapse.

CONCLUSIONS

Prior DCV/ASV therapy is associated with failure of SOF/LDV therapy due to multiple RAVs.

Unconjugated interferon-stimulated gene 15 specifically interacts with the hepatitis C virus NS5A protein via domain I

Interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), a ubiquitin-like protein, is induced by type I INF. Although several groups have reported ISGylation of the HCV NS5A protein, it is still unclear whether ISGylation of NS5A has anti- or pro-viral effects in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In the present study, the role of ISGylation-independent, unconjugated ISG15 in HCV infection was examined. Immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that ISG15 interacts specifically with NS5A domain I. ISG15 mutants lacking the C-terminal glycine residue that is essential for ISGylation still interacted with NS5A protein. Taken together, these results suggest that unconjugated ISG15 affects the functions of HCV NS5A through protein-protein interaction.

Synthesis and anti-HCV activity of a series of β-d-2'-deoxy-2'-dibromo nucleosides and their corresponding phosphoramidate prodrugs

Several β-d-2'-deoxy-2'-substituted nucleoside analogs have displayed potent and selective anti-HCV activities and some of them have reached human clinical trials. In that regard, we report herein the synthesis of a series of 2'-deoxy,2'-dibromo substituted U, C, G and A nucleosides 10a-d and their corresponding phosphoramidate prodrugs 13a-d. The synthesized nucleosides 10a-d and prodrugs 13a-d were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against HCV as well as cellular toxicity. The results showed that the most potent compound was prodrug 13a, which exhibited micromolar inhibitory activity (EC₅₀ = 1.5 ± 0.8 µM) with no observed toxicity. In addition, molecular modeling and free energy perturbation calculations for the 5'-triphosphate formed from 13a and related 2'-modified nucleotides are discussed.

Role of Interleukin-22 in chronic liver injury

Liver fibrosis is the result of an exacerbated wound-healing response associated with chronic liver injury. Advanced liver fibrosis results in cirrhosis, liver failure, and portal hypertension and frequently requires liver transplantation. The host immune response has an important role driving fibrosis deposition by activating hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is a cytokine that plays a key role in promoting antimicrobial immunity and tissue repair at barrier surfaces. Data from literature suggest that IL-22 has a protective role in the liver by reducing fibrosis in some pathological conditions, however the results are contradictory. This review highlights current knowledge of IL-22' role in chronic liver injury, as well as its therapeutic potential for the treatment of chronic liver injury.