Treatment of hepatitis C and B virus infection with interferon

Background. - Since the discovery of hepatitis C (HCV), the efficacy of treatment has significantly progressed using standard mono-therapy: with Interferon alpha (IFN) during six months we obtained approximately 10% sustained. response and currently with the association of pegylated IFN and Ribavirin a 55% sustained response was achieved. Current position and major points. - HCV infection continues to present therapeutic problems which have not entirely been solved, mainly related to clinical and biological tolerance, and non-responders. Moreover, the care of patients with extra-hepatic localization, cirrhotic patients, as well as therapeutic problems of co-infected HIV-HCV patients. As regards hepatitis B (HBV) new effective treatments against this virus have appeared, IFN then nucleoside analogs, some of which are available in France (ie. lamivudine, adefovir, dipovoxil). The main objective of chronic hepatitis B treatment is to obtain the complete inhibition of the HBV virus by Hbe-antigen antibody seroconversion which would therefore significantly increase patient survival. In this article the advantages and disadvantages of the different treatments are assessed. Future perspectives. - Despite the considerable and rapid progress obtained in the therapeutic treatment of infection due to HCV and HBV a number of unknown factors remain, which warrants further trials, in particular to evaluate the efficacy as well as the tolerance of the antiviral agent association. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.