Structure of hepatitis C virus envelope protein an early step toward vaccine, therapies
Friday, October 10, 2014 - 08:30
in Health & Medicine
(Phys.org) —Hepatitis C, an infectious disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), affects 160 million people worldwide. It is spread by blood-to-blood contact that most often results from intravenous drug use, transfusions, and poorly sterilized medical equipment. Up to 80 percent of those infected develop a chronic infection, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure.