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Seyed Mohammadmehdi Hosseini-Moghaddam, Afkham Mousavi, Seyed Moayed Alavian, Is β-interferon a promising therapeutic option for the management of hepatitis C?, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Volume 63, Issue 6, June 2009, Pages 1097–1103, https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkp092
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Abstract
Using interferon-alpha (IFN-α) as the conventional therapeutic antiviral drug, physicians generally achieve a treatment success of <50% in cases with chronic hepatitis C. Owing to the structural similarities between IFN-α and interferon-beta (IFN-β), the latter is a candidate for obtaining sustained viral response. In this review, we have compiled the published information on the use of IFN-β for the management of acute and chronic hepatitis C up to 2007. We have looked at the rates of success and side effects. IFN-β might be helpful if IFN-α fails to achieve a favourable outcome. This antiviral drug may be helpful for the management of chronic hepatitis C in both age extremes, in case of a relapse after receiving IFN-α and for preventing the development of the carrier state after acute hepatitis C. Further studies are required on the efficacy of IFN-β for the management of acute and chronic hepatitis C.