Association of hepatitis C virus-specific CD8(+) T cells with viral clearance in acute hepatitis C

CD8(+) T lymphocytes play a major role in antiviral immune defense. Their s ignificance for acute hepatitis C is unclear. Our aim was to correlate the CD8(+) T cell response with the outcome of infection. Eighteen patients wit h acute hepatitis C and 19 normal donors were studied. Hepatitis C virus (H CV)-specific CD8(+) T cells were identified in the enzyme-linked immunospot assay by their interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production after specific stim ulation. The highest numbers of IFN-gamma-producing HCV-specific CD8(+) T c ells were found in patients with acute hepatitis C and a self-limited cours e of disease during the first 6 months after onset of disease, but these nu mbers dropped thereafter to undetectable levels. The differences in respons iveness between patients with self-limited disease versus patients with a c hronic course were statistically significant (P < .001). Our data show that the number of IFN-gamma-producing HCV-specific CD8(+) T cells during the f irst 6 months after onset of disease is associated with eradication of the HCV infection.