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HCV & Immunology-Why is the immune response insufficient for most patients to avert chronic infection?

Dear Dr. Rodriguez:

There are reams of studies looking at immune issues in HIV infection, but I've been unable to find much on the immune system and HCV. Why is the immune response insufficient for most patients to avert chronic infection? Who are the researchers who are pursuing the groundbreaking work in this area?

Thank you,

--D.

Dr. Rodriquez writes--

Yes, this is a fundamental area of research that is just started in HCV. There is evidence, from the work of Reherman in NIH, that lack of a strong Th1 dominated T-cell and CTL responses are the main cause of chronic infection. The exact relationships between the HCV and the inmmune system are not well known. Even in HIV patients the immune responses are complex and variable. MR