Hepatitis C: surprise finding could lead to vaccine
From: An Metet (anmetet_at_freedom.gmsociety.org)
Date: 10/16/04
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Date: Sat, 16 Oct 2004 08:46:19 -0400
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24 August 2004
New research from the University of New South Wales shows some people may
repeatedly be able to clear hepatitis C virus from their bodies, without any
biological traces of the potentially serious infection.
The surprise finding could lead to the development of a vaccine against the
virus, which currently affects around 210,000 Australians and can cause liver
cancer and liver failure. The research has just been published in the
prestigious Journal of Infectious Diseases.
The study found some individuals with high-risk behaviour, involving blood-to-
blood contact, appear to develop "protective immunity" against the virus,
thereby becoming resistant to persistent infection.
The researchers identified 160 prisoners who were free of the infection and
tracked them on a monthly basis whilst in gaol. This entailed blood collection
and recording episodes likely to put the prisoners at risk for transmission of
hepatitis C, such as injecting drug use or tattooing.
Over the course of the study, four prisoners became infected with hepatitis C,
yet they all went on to clear the virus without suffering any symptoms or
developing antibodies against the virus. Instead it appeared that another arm
of the immune system based on specialised white blood cells, or T cells, might
be active in fighting the virus.
"It is possible that they had been infected in the past, perhaps on several
occasions and that may be why they were able to clear the virus efficiently and
without developing antibodies," said UNSW Professor Andrew Lloyd, who is in the
School of Medical Sciences.
This cellular immunity appears similar to that found in some Kenyan prostitutes
who appear to have protective immunity from HIV. These prostitutes are
resistant to becoming HIV positive, despite repeatedly having unprotected sex
with clients who are infected.
The researchers have found a similar pattern of cellular immunity to hepatitis
C in another high-risk group - injecting drug users. They ultimately hope to
reproduce a similar pattern of protective immunity with a synthetic vaccine.
CONTACT DETAILS: UNSW Professor Andrew Lloyd 0413 112 701; Susi Hamilton , UNSW
Media unit, tel. 9385 1583 or 0422 934 024.
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