Delayed Viral Clearance of Chronic Hepatitis C in Patients after Treatment Failure

• Published in: Gut and liver Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 110 - 114
• Main Authors: Cho, Su Hyun, Lee, Sung Wook, Choi, Seok Reyol, Han, Sang Young, Roh, Myung Hwan, Lee, Jong Hoon, Jang, Jin Seok, Baek, Yang Hyun, Kim, Su Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Society of Gastroenterology; the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy; the Korean Association for the Study of the Liver; the Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility; Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases; Korean College of Helicobacter and Upper Gastrointestinal Research; Korean Society of Pancreatobiliary Diseases 01.03.2011; Gastroenterology Council for Gut and Liver; 거트앤리버 소화기연관학회협의회
• Subjects: Case Report; chronic hepatitis c; delayed viral clearance; sustained virological response; 내과학; Delayed viral clearance; Sustained virological response; Chronic hepatitis C
• ISSN: 1976-2283; 2005-1212; 2005-1212
• DOI: 10.5009/gnl.2011.5.1.110

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection usually progresses to chronic hepatitis, with rare cases of spontaneous viral eradication. We present herein four cases involving patients that were initially declared to have failed to respond to treatments, based on the presence of HCV RNA that was still detectable after completion of the standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C with genotype 2. However, the HCV RNA became undetectable, with a delayed response, after discontinuation of therapy. Two of the four patients were diagnosed as treatment failures after extended treatment, and the other two received no further treatment after the standard treatment. All four patients maintained a sustained virological response during the periodic follow-up after delayed viral clearance.