EVALUATION OF HEPATITIS-C VIRUS PROTEIN EPITOPES FOR VACCINE DEVELOPMENT

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) leads to viral persistence and chronic disease in a very high proportion of cases, despite a broad im munological response to viral proteins. These responses may be thwarte d by the high rate of mutation, which leads to the generation of 'esca pe' variants of HCV that persist as a quasi-species in infected indivi duals. The specificity of the immune responses of infected patients su ggests that responses directed at certain viral epitopes may be associ ated with less aggressive disease and, possibly, good interferon respo nse and virus clearance, The identification of such epitopes may hold the key for future development both of prophylactic and therapeutic va ccines.