Current Pharmaceutical Design - Volume 14, Issue 17, 2008

HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) infection is a serious problem worldwide. It has been estimated that around 2% of population is HCV infected . Most importantly, chronic HCV infection accounts for 40% to 60% of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) cases and is the most frequent indication for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) either in the United States or in Europe. In the first chapter of this issue Baldo et al. [1] provides a c Read More

It is estimated that approximately 130-170 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). According to data from WHO community and blood donor surveys, the African and Eastern Mediterranean countries report the highest prevalence rates (>10%). The rates of infection in the general population and the incidence of newly-acquired cases indicate an appreciable change in the epidemiology of the Read More

Early treatment of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections reflects a new clinical paradigm and a significant option to reduce the socioeconomic burden of HCV. Therefore, this approach seems suitable as a new strategy to face HCV and prevent end stage liver diseases and premature deaths due to progressed chronic HCV-infections. The main limitation of this approach is that the majority of acute infections show an asympto Read More

Acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is often a clinically silent infection, and is therefore rarely detected. A high index of clinical suspicion in addition to careful serological and virological assessment is required to identify the disease, and to determine the eventual clinical outcome after primary infection; the minority of acutely infected individuals spontaneously control viremia in long term whilst the majority become per Read More

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects an estimated 170 million people globally and persistent infection within the liver is the usual outcome of infection. The resulting liver disease leads to substantial morbidity and to date no vaccine exists. Furthermore the treatments available are frequently ineffective. A minority of those exposed will however successfully control the virus and the factors that dictate this remain elusive. The e Read More

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is characterized by a number of autoreactive manifestations, such as autoantibody production, cryoglobulinemia and thyroid disorders. We will analyse critically the mechanisms invoked, and partially documented, to explain such manifestations arising in genetically predisposed individuals exposed to HCV. In particular we will examine the available evidence implicating the virus in lowering Read More

The goal of treatment for acute hepatitis C patients is to eradicate the virus in the early phase of infection, thus preventing progression to chronicity. Early interferon (IFN) monotherapy has been shown to significantly reduce this risk, and therefore it has been recommended by international guidelines. To date, there is no standard treatment for the acute form of hepatitis C because available studies refer to smal Read More

HCV/HIV co-infection is a major public health problem with between 10-25% of HIV-positive individuals infected with HCV. Following the introduction of effective HIV therapies, HCV has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the HIV population. Since the early 2000s, there has been a marked rise in the diagnosis of acute HCV in HIV-positive populations. Cohorts have been reported in Europe, USA and Australia. Molec Read More

Adenosine A2A receptors are members of the G protein-coupled receptor family and mediate multiple physiological effects of adenosine, both at the central nervous system (CNS) and at peripheral tissues, by activating several pathways or interacting with other receptors or proteins. Increasing evidence relate A2A receptors with pharmacological stress testing, neurodegenerative disorders (such as Parkinson's disease Read More

St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum, SJW) is one of the most commonly used herbal antidepressants for the treatment of minor to moderate depression. A major safety concern about SJW is its ability to alter the pharmacokinetics and/or clinical response of a variety of clinically important drugs that have distinctive chemical structure, mechanism of action and metabolic pathways. This review highlights and updates the kn Read More