一項最新的研究表明，僅使用干擾素alfa-2a，或結合病毒唑可以治愈丙肝(HCV)。

來自美國弗吉尼亞的研究學者以及世界其他40個組織組織的一項長期后續性研究確定在成功治療丙肝的病人是否會再次感染病毒。這項研究回顧了997例病人，這些病人要么單一感染慢性丙肝病毒要么共感染丙肝和艾滋病，接受了干擾素單一療法或病毒唑的聯合治療。

成功治療后，研究學者每年監測一次HCV水平，平均持續4.1年。997例病人中，989例中HCV水平是不能被監測到的。另8例病人在治療完成后平均2年中HCV仍檢測陽性。研究表明，這8個病人與年齡、性別、或HCV基因型無關，也沒有明確這些病人是否再發或重新感染HCV。此項研究在2007年5月美國舉行的第38屆消化疾病會上得到了陳述。

“這些數據無疑是鼓舞人心的，因為在生命-威脅病毒疾病的治療中很少能告知病人可能已經被治愈了?！钡谝蛔髡進itchell Shiffman博士解釋道，“如今我們能幫助病人有效擺脫這些疾病的干擾?！?

丙型肝炎是威脅生命的，通過血液感染到肝臟，這是一種通過血液傳播的疾病。丙肝病毒是一種RNA病毒。丙肝可導致嚴重、持續的肝臟損傷，在一些病例中甚至是死亡。超過80%丙肝感染的病人可發展成慢性肝臟疾病。


Hepatitis C Cure Announced 

A new study has found that the use of peginterferon alfa-2a alone, or in combination with ribavirin, can provide a cure for hepatitis C virus (HCV). 
Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU; Richmond, USA) and about 40 other sites worldwide conducted a long-term follow-up study to determine if the virus re-emerges in patients who have achieved treatment success. The study reviewed 997 patients, either mono-infected with chronic HCV or co-infected HCV and HIV, who achieved a sustained viral response (SVR) following treatment with either Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a) monotherapy or combination therapy with Pegasys and ribavirin. Pegasys is manufactured by Roche (Basel, Switzerland). 

After successful treatment, researchers monitored serum levels of HCV once a year for an average of 4.1 years. Of the 997 patients, 989 maintained undetectable levels of HCV. The remaining eight patients tested positive for HCV at an average of two years following treatment completion. The study found that these eight patients exhibited no consistency in age, gender, or HCV genotype, and it has not yet been determined if these patients experienced a relapse or if they were re-infected with HCV. The study was presented at the 38th annual Digestive Disease Week Conference, held during May 2007 in Washington DC (USA).
 
e at VCU are encouraged by this data because it is rare in the treatment of life-threatening viral diseases that we can tell patients they may be cured,?said lead researcher Mitchell Shiffman, M.D., a professor in the VCU School of Medicine. 揑n hepatitis C today, we are able to help some patients achieve an outcome that effectively enables them to put their disease behind them.
 
Hepatitis C is a life-threatening, blood-borne disease of the liver, which is transmitted by exposure to blood. A particularly dangerous form of viral hepatitis, it is caused by an RNA virus. Hepatitis C can lead to serious, permanent liver damage, and in many cases, death. More than 80% of those who are infected will progress to chronic liver disease.