Scientists Face New Setback In Hepatitis C Treatment

London, England (AHN) - The effort to find an effective treatment for hepatitis C virus has suffered a major setback after British researchers found that the virus evades the body's natural defenses by slipping directly from cell to cell.

University of Birmingham researchers said viruses spread by entering cells, then replicating themselves, with large numbers of copies of the virus bursting out of the cell to start the process again. The new discovery could explain the rapid spread of the virus in some patients.

Using liver tumor cells infected with the virus, researchers now say that Hepatitis C virus have the ability to leave the host cell before infecting another and can move directly between cells.

Jennifer Timpe, the lead author of the paper presented their findings at a recent international conference in Glasgow, said, "Viruses can spread by two different mechanisms: via extra cellular virus particles or direct cell-to-cell transfer."

"Until now, HCV was thought to spread by extra cellular viruses infecting na?ve cells, a route vulnerable to antibodies. But our research shows the virus may use both mechanisms to get around. This is probably why it has been so tricky to tackle," he added.

According to BBC news, "cell to cell transmission" allows the virus to bypass some of the body's most potent defense systems. This new discovery is a disappointment for scientists who hoped to boost antibody defenses in order to stop the virus in its tracks.

Dr. Jane McKeating, the researcher from the University said, "There is a history of therapeutic antibody treatments for hepatitis c not working and now we know why."

It is estimated that about 0.4 per cent of the population in Britain remains infected with hepatitis C, a virus that is spread by blood and infects the liver.

The only treatment currently available, a combination of the anti-viral drugs interferon-a and ribavirin, only works in half of cases. The drugs, which need to be taken for six to 12 months, can make patients feel ill and some cannot tolerate them at all.