Treatment of viral hepatitis - 2001

Chronic viral hepatitis may now be controlled and, in many cases, permanent ly eradicated. Rapid advances in the antiviral therapy of chronic hepatitis C infection have resulted in a greater than 50% sustained response rate, w ith genotypes 2 and 3 now considered 'curable diseases.' Current hepatitis B therapy leads to significant improvement in liver histology and overall s urvival. These advances, coupled with the fact that 8% of the world populat ion is chronically infected with viral hepatitis, has sparked considerable interest in this condition on the part of the pharmaceutical industry. In 2 001, the most effective therapy for chronic hepatitis C is the combination of pegylated interferon alpha and oral ribavirin. The treatment of hepatiti s B consists of either interferon alpha or oral lamivudine, while newer nuc leoside/nucleotide analogues, alone or in combination with existing therapy , are being explored.