Hepatitis C virus has been identified a quarter of a decade ago as a leading cause of
chronic viral hepatitis that can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Only a
minority of patients can clear the virus spontaneously during acute infection. Elimination of
HCV during acute infection correlates with a rapid induction of innate, especially interferon
(IFN) induced genes, and a delayed induction of adaptive immune responses. However, the
majority of patients is unable to clear the virus and develops viral persistence in face of an …