ANTIVIRAL EFFECT OF RECOMBINANT INTERFERON-ALFA-2A ON HEPATITIS-C VIRUS

Anti-viral effect of interferon alfa-2a on hepatitis C virus was evalu ated by detecting hepatitis C virus ribonucleic acid (HCV RNA) in 40 p atients who had received enrolled in the double-blind controlled trial of short-term (8 weeks) interferon and also in six patients who had r eceived long-term (1 year) interferon treatment. Among the 20 patients who received short-term interferon treatment, reduction of HCV RNA wa s observed in 5 of 12 patients who showed the reduction of alanine ami notransferase (ALT) levels. In contrast, reduction of HCV RNA level wa s not observed in any of 20 patients who received the placebo. Among t en patients (six long-term and four short-term treatment) who were ava ilable for long-term follow-up, five showed the complete normalization and two showed reduction of ALT levels to less than 50 IU/l for 1 yea r after the end of treatment. HCV RNA turned negative and remained neg ative 1 year after the end of treatment in four of these seven patient s. Thus, the anti-viral effect of interferon on HCV was confirmed by d etecting the HCV RNA. The clinical effect of interferon on type C hepa titis was considered to be brought about by the decrease or disappeara nce of the virus.