Research vaccination against hepatitis C

Researchers Hope to Vaccine Against Hepatitis C

08/11/2014

Up to one million people in Germany are infected with hepatitis viruses. The virus types are subdivided into A, B, C, D and E. Against A and B are vaccinations available against C so far not. But new tests now arouse hopes for infection control.

Many do not know about their infection
In Germany, up to one million people are infected with hepatitis viruses. Many of them do not know about it. The typical jaundice develops only about one third of the infected. Another third only notice flu symptoms such as fever, body aches, nausea, loss of appetite, headache or fatigue. And the other third does not notice anything. However, chronic viral hepatitis can lead to long-term consequences such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer and thus end in death. Vaccines are available against virus types A and B, but not against the others. But now tests raise hopes for infection protection against the C variant.

To struggle with the consequences for life
All five of the hepatitis virus types A, B, C, D and E fall on the liver cells. The viruses can only be controlled by the immune system by destroying infected cells. Many of the hepatitis C patients have life-threatening consequences, such as cirrhosis of the liver. Although the infectious disease can be cured in many cases thanks to new drugs, hepatitis C is considered a worldwide epidemic. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), about 500,000 infected people live in Germany. Mostly the virus is transmitted via blood. Therefore, among other things, drug addicts who share their cutlery and medical staff are among the high-risk groups. Since the C virus is too flexible, researchers have so far been unable to develop an effective vaccine.

Means proved safe in tests on humans
But a team led by Eleanor Barnes from the University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Medicine has now taken a first step towards a hepatitis C (HCV) vaccine, such as „Mirror online“ reported. According to the media in tests on people proved safe, said Barnes in the magazine „Science Translational Medicine“ With. For vaccines, human adenoviruses are usually used as gene shuttles to trigger the desired backlash of the body. However, recent studies show that many of the human viruses do not trigger a sufficient response. Therefore, Barnes and her colleagues manipulated a safe, attenuated cowpox virus into which genes were incorporated for certain hepatitis C virus proteins „Mirror online“.

Hepatitis C can be treated well with medication
It is reported that the resulting vaccine showed a better effect in the first test than most previously known human variants. The remedy was tested on a small group of 15 healthy volunteers. According to the news magazine, the head of the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology in Hannover, Michael Manns, the strategy of Oxford colleagues for promising. However, it is questionable whether a vaccine will be needed at all, because a hepatitis C infection can always be better treated with medication. In addition, fewer and fewer people fell ill, Mann explained.

Vaccination would be cost effective
On the other hand, the authors of the study emphasize that vaccination against hepatitis C would be cost-effective and that infection rates could be lowered, especially in developing countries. Until a few years ago, the treatment options for infected persons were poor. But now there are effective drugs on the market, but they are very expensive. For example, one pill of the active substance Sovaldi costs 700 euros. The funds were certified by the Joint Federal Committee after long negotiations, a clear added value. The new vaccine in Baltimore and California in the US is currently being evaluated for efficacy, with results expected by 2016. (Ad)