Viral clearance or persistence after acute hepatitis C infection: interim results from a prospective study.

Objective: Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) has a high rate of chronic evolution; however, the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. We investigated natural clinical, virological, and immunological course of acute HCV infection in order to identify possible prognostic factors of spontaneous resolution and to gain more understanding of early characteristics responsible for viral clearance or persistence.

Materials And Methods: Eight patients with acute symptomatic hepatitis C were prospectively followed up for more than 6 months (range, 8-14 months).

Characterization of HCV strains in an oncohematological pediatric department reveals little horizontal transmission but multiple introductions by un-screened blood products in the past.

Because several children were found infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) at a pediatric oncohematological department in Vilnius, 474 children were tested for anti-HCV. Fifty-eight percent of 96 children treated with blood and plasma products manufactured before the introduction of anti-HCV screening of blood in Lithuania in 1994 were positive for anti-HCV versus 3.4% of those treated after 1994.

Inhaled zanamivir versus placebo for the prevention of influenza outbreaks in an unvaccinated long-term care population.

Background: Antiviral chemoprophylaxis effectiveness for influenza control has not been prospectively established for unvaccinated residents of long-term care facilities. This study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of zanamivir against the standard of care (no intervention, ie, placebo) for influenza outbreak control in a largely unvaccinated institutionalized population.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of zanamivir versus placebo for influenza outbreak control in long-term care facilities.