Hepatitis C Virus Treatment

This book provides latest findings on newly developed drugs to treat chronic hepatitis C virus infection, Direct Acting Antiviral (DAAs) agents, which have an excellent anti-viral effect on virus replication. Resistance strains in vitro and in vivo, and the existence of naturally occurring variants with resistance against these drugs have been reported, letting these drugs enhance the effect of interferon and ribavirin. Since the combination of different classes of DAAs is sufficient to completely eradicate the virus without requiring interferon and ribavirin, the current treatment regimen does not contain interferon. Ribavirin is used in combination with sofosbuvir, a potent polymerase inhibitor, to enhance its antiviral effects. The major objective of this book is to introduce DAAs and describe the resistance profiles against these drugs. The book also sheds light on the difficulties involved in DAA therapy and the direction of future treatments. The book offers readers a comprehensive guide to hepatitis C, helping doctors to understand the essentials of treating the disease. It also describes in detail the new and innovative DAA treatments, the effects of the agents, and the characteristics of resistance, providing cutting-edge information not only for hepatologists, but also for researchers, clinical residents, and medical students.