Is the genotype 3 of the hepatitis C virus the new villain?

Hepatology

Accepted Article (Accepted, unedited articles published online and citable. The final edited and typeset version of record will appear in future.)

Viral Hepatitis

Nicolas Goossens¹, Francesco Negro^1,2,*

DOI: 10.1002/hep.26905

Copyright © 2013 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases

Keywords:protease inhibitor; polymerase inhibitor; steatosis; cirrhosis; hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

The genotype 3 of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been long considered an easy-to-treat infection, with higher cure rates (~70%) than other viral genotypes with the standard combination of pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin. However, the relative insensitivity of this genotype to most protease inhibitors and the recent unexpected data on decreased effectiveness of sofosbuvir, have raised questions on how to achieve universal cure, a goal that seems reasonable for other genotypes. In addition, increasing clinical and experimental data show that HCV genotype 3 may be associated not only with severe steatosis, but also with accelerated fibrosis progression rate and increased oncogenesis. Conclusion: Currently available data suggest that we should increase our efforts to understand the virology and pathogenesis of HCV genotype 3, aiming at better and more potent, genotype-targeted treatments. (Hepatology 2013;)

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