Of Chimps and Men-Finding the Path to An Hcv Vaccine

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Abstract
To define the early events that determine the outcome of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, we compared the course of viremia with the peripheral and intrahepatic T cell response and intrahepatic cytokine profile in six acutely infected chimpanzees. Three different outcomes were observed after peak viral titers were reached: sustained viral clearance, transient viral clearance followed by chronic infection, and chronic infection that persisted at initial peak titers. The results indicate that HCV spread outpaces the T cell response and that HCV rapidly induces but is not controlled by IFN–α/β; that viral clearance follows the entry and accumulation of HCV–specific IFN–gamma–producing T cells in the liver; and that it may not require the destruction of infected cells.