Description
Hepatitis C - time of change:
More than 25 years after the discovery of hepatitis C virus (HCV) – the causative agent of hepatitis C, an insidious viral liver disease that leads to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma –finally efficient and well tolerated treatments are available. These new drugs, so called directly acting antivirals, can eliminate the virus, cure the infection and thus offer hope and novel life perspectives to millions of chronically infected patients. Control of hepatitis C at the population level seems at close range. In fact experts contemplate whether regional elimination or even global eradication of HCV is now feasible. Concomitantly, the HCV research field transforms and tackles unsolved challenges.
This workshop will cover basic principles of HCV replication and infection including the natural course of disease. Moreover, the development and mode of action of novel directly acting antivirals for HCV will be highlighted. Finally, future research challenges and unmet needs will be discussed in the light of ultimately controlling the global disease burden associated with chronic HCV infection.
Prof. Pietschmann is head of the Insitute of Experimental Virology, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Medical School Hannover and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research
