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Hepatitis C Genotype 3: The Remaining Problem

  • Hepatitis C (M Bourlière and T Asselah, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Tremendous strides have been made in the treatment of hepatitis C (HCV), particularly in the last 2 years with the advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). DAAs achieve impressive cure rates, regardless of fibrosis stage, with minimal side effects and short durations of therapy. Prior to 2011, genotype 1 had significantly lower response rates compared to genotypes 2 and 3. Although historically grouped together, genotypes 2 and 3 are quite distinct. This difference has held true with the introduction of DAAs. HCV genotypes 1 and 2 are no longer treatment challenges. However, genotype 3, particularly in treatment-experienced patients with cirrhosis, continues to suffer suboptimal cure rates. There have been various hypotheses to explain this difference in response rates. The scientific community continues to address this ongoing disparity as preliminary results from new trials show promise. This review summarizes the unique characteristics of genotype 3, with a focus on recent data regarding treatment response in the DAA area.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    G. Choi, R. Bahirwani & K. R. Reddy

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  1. G. Choi
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  2. R. Bahirwani
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  3. K. R. Reddy
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Correspondence to K. R. Reddy.

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Conflict of Interest

G. Choi and R. Bahirwani declare that they have no conflict of interest.

K. Rajender Reddy is a member of the Ad-Hoc Advisory Board of Merck, Gilead, Abbvie, BMS, and Janssen.

Research support money paid to institution was provided by Merck, Gilead, Abbvie, BMS, and Janssen.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Hepatitis C

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Choi, G., Bahirwani, R. & Reddy, K.R. Hepatitis C Genotype 3: The Remaining Problem. Curr Hepatology Rep 14, 267–273 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-015-0284-4

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