INTERFERON ANTIBODIES IN PATIENTS WITH INFECTIOUS-DISEASES - ANTIINTERFERON ANTIBODIES

Interferons (IFNs) are generally recognized as the most important ther apeutic agent in some infectious diseases such as chronic hepatitis B and C. Since the early clinical trials it was documented that the ther apeutic use of IFNs could be complicated by the development of antibod ies able to neutralize or to bind to the IFN molecule. After several y ears of research it is now widely accepted that the presence of circul ating anti-IFN antibodies may affect the response to IFN. Here we summ arize what is currently know on the clinical significance of antibodie s to IFN in IFN-treated viral diseases patients.