Uncovering Resistance to Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Scientific Contributions and Unanswered Questions in the Irish Anti-D Cohort
Infections caused inadvertently during clinical intervention provide valuable insight into the spectrum of human responses to viruses. Delivery of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-contaminated blood products in the 70s (before HCV was identified) have dramatically increased our understanding of the natural h...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/3/306 |
| _version_ | 1797443859582550016 |
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| author | Jamie A. Sugrue Cliona O’Farrelly |
| author_facet | Jamie A. Sugrue Cliona O’Farrelly |
| author_sort | Jamie A. Sugrue |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Infections caused inadvertently during clinical intervention provide valuable insight into the spectrum of human responses to viruses. Delivery of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-contaminated blood products in the 70s (before HCV was identified) have dramatically increased our understanding of the natural history of HCV infection and the role that host immunity plays in the outcome to viral infection. In Ireland, HCV-contaminated anti-D immunoglobulin (Ig) preparations were administered to approximately 1700 pregnant Irish rhesus-negative women in 1977–1979. Though tragic in nature, this outbreak (alongside a smaller episode in 1993) has provided unique insight into the host factors that influence outcomes after HCV exposure and the subsequent development of disease in an otherwise healthy female population. Despite exposure to highly infectious batches of anti-D, almost 600 of the HCV-exposed women have never shown any evidence of infection (remaining negative for both viral RNA and anti-HCV antibodies). Detailed analysis of these individuals may shed light on innate immune pathways that effectively block HCV infection and potentially inform us more generally about the mechanisms that contribute to viral resistance in human populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:03:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cf49ead71c94468898ee1f186d94db22 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:03:11Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-cf49ead71c94468898ee1f186d94db222023-11-30T21:52:13ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172022-02-0111330610.3390/pathogens11030306Uncovering Resistance to Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Scientific Contributions and Unanswered Questions in the Irish Anti-D CohortJamie A. Sugrue0Cliona O’Farrelly1School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, D02R590 Dublin, IrelandSchool of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, D02R590 Dublin, IrelandInfections caused inadvertently during clinical intervention provide valuable insight into the spectrum of human responses to viruses. Delivery of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-contaminated blood products in the 70s (before HCV was identified) have dramatically increased our understanding of the natural history of HCV infection and the role that host immunity plays in the outcome to viral infection. In Ireland, HCV-contaminated anti-D immunoglobulin (Ig) preparations were administered to approximately 1700 pregnant Irish rhesus-negative women in 1977–1979. Though tragic in nature, this outbreak (alongside a smaller episode in 1993) has provided unique insight into the host factors that influence outcomes after HCV exposure and the subsequent development of disease in an otherwise healthy female population. Despite exposure to highly infectious batches of anti-D, almost 600 of the HCV-exposed women have never shown any evidence of infection (remaining negative for both viral RNA and anti-HCV antibodies). Detailed analysis of these individuals may shed light on innate immune pathways that effectively block HCV infection and potentially inform us more generally about the mechanisms that contribute to viral resistance in human populations.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/3/306Hepatitis C virusviral resistanceinter individual variationexposed seronegativeanti-D cohort |
| spellingShingle | Jamie A. Sugrue Cliona O’Farrelly Uncovering Resistance to Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Scientific Contributions and Unanswered Questions in the Irish Anti-D Cohort Pathogens Hepatitis C virus viral resistance inter individual variation exposed seronegative anti-D cohort |
| title | Uncovering Resistance to Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Scientific Contributions and Unanswered Questions in the Irish Anti-D Cohort |
| title_full | Uncovering Resistance to Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Scientific Contributions and Unanswered Questions in the Irish Anti-D Cohort |
| title_fullStr | Uncovering Resistance to Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Scientific Contributions and Unanswered Questions in the Irish Anti-D Cohort |
| title_full_unstemmed | Uncovering Resistance to Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Scientific Contributions and Unanswered Questions in the Irish Anti-D Cohort |
| title_short | Uncovering Resistance to Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Scientific Contributions and Unanswered Questions in the Irish Anti-D Cohort |
| title_sort | uncovering resistance to hepatitis c virus infection scientific contributions and unanswered questions in the irish anti d cohort |
| topic | Hepatitis C virus viral resistance inter individual variation exposed seronegative anti-D cohort |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/3/306 |
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