Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 6 Infection: Response to Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases 2008-09, Vol.198 (6), p.808-812
• Main Authors: Fung, James, Lai, Ching-Lung, Hung, Ivan, Young, John, Cheng, Charles, Wong, Danny, Yuen, Man-Fung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adverse effects; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic hepatitis; Dosage; Drug Therapy, Combination; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genotype; Genotypes; Hepacivirus; Hepacivirus - genetics; Hepatitis C virus; Hepatitis C, Chronic - drug therapy; Hepatitis C, Chronic - virology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use; Interferons; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Polyethylene Glycols - therapeutic use; Recombinant Proteins; Ribavirin - therapeutic use; RNA; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Virology; Viruses
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/591252

Background. To date, no study has evaluated pegylated interferon for the treatment of chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6. We aimed to determine the efficacy of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin for treating infection with genotype 6 versus genotype 1. Methods. Forty-two patients chronically infected with HCV (for genotype 1, n = 21; for genotype 6, n = 21) were treated with pegylated interferon α-2a (n = 20) or α-2b (n = 22) combined with oral ribavirin for 48 weeks. Results. There was no difference between genotypes 1 and 6 in the rates of early virological response (76% vs. 81%; P > .05) and end-of-treatment response (71% vs. 81%; P > .05). Patients infected with genotype 6 had a higher rate of sustained virological response (SVR) than did patients infected with genotype 1 (86% vs. 52%; P = .019). The overall adverse-effects profile was similar in both genotype groups. There was no significant difference in the rate of SVR between patients receiving pegylated interferon α-2a and those receiving α-2b. Multivariate analysis showed that genotype was the only significant factor associated with SVR (P = .039). Conclusions. Treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks resulted in a significantly higher rate of SVR in patients infected with genotype 6 than in those infected with genotype 1. Further studies are required to determine whether lower dosages and 24 weeks of therapy may be sufficient for the treatment of genotype 6 infection.