Molecular and Contextual Markers of Hepatitis C Virus and Drug Abuse

Authors: Shapshak, Paul; Somboonwit, Charurut; Drumright, Lydia N.¹; Frost, Simon D.W.²; Commins, Deborah³; Tellinghuisen, Timothy L.⁴; Scott, William K.⁵; Duncan, Robert⁶; McCoy, Clyde⁶; Page, J. Bryan⁷; Giunta, Brian⁸; Fernandez, Francisco⁸; Singer, Elyse⁹; Levine, Andrew⁹; Minagar, Alireza¹⁰; Oluwadara, Oluwadayo; Kotila, Taiwo¹¹; Chiappelli, Francesco¹²; Sinnott, John T.

Source: Molecular Diagnosis & Therapy, Volume 13, Number 3, 3 June 2009 , pp. 153-179(27)

Publisher: Adis International

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Abstract:

The spread of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection involves a complex interplay of social risks, and molecular factors of both virus and host. Injection drug abuse is the most powerful risk factor for HCV infection, followed by sexual transmission and additional non-injection drug abuse factors such as co-infection with other viruses and barriers to treatment. It is clearly important to understand the wider context in which the factors related to HCV infection occur. This understanding is required for a comprehensive approach leading to the successful prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of HCV. An additional consideration is that current treatments and advanced molecular methods are generally unavailable to socially disadvantaged patients. Thus, the recognition of behavioral/social, viral, and host factors as components of an integrated approach to HCV is important to help this vulnerable group. Equally important, this approach is key to the development of personalized patient treatment - a significant goal in global healthcare.

In this review, we discuss recent findings concerning the impact of drug abuse, epidemiology, social behavior, virology, immunopathology, and genetics on HCV infection and the course of disease.

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: 4 Division of International Health, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA 2: 5 Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK 3: 6 Department of Pathology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA 4: 7 Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida, USA 5: 8 Miami Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA 6: 9 Department of Epidemiology, Comprehensive Drug Research Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA 7: 10 Department of Anthropology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Comprehensive Drug Research Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA 8: 2 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, University of South Florida, College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida, USA 9: 11 Department of Neurology and National Neurological AIDS Bank, UCLA School of Medicine, Westwood, California, USA 10: 12 Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA 11: 15 Department of Hematology, College of Medicine and University College Hospital, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria 12: 13 Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, California, USA

Publication date: 2009-06-03

Molecular and Contextual Markers of Hepatitis C Virus and Drug Abuse

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