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Volume 09
Journal of Gastrointestinal & Digestive System
ISSN: 2161-069X
Gastro Congress 2019
July 08-09, 2019
July 08-09, 2019 | Zurich, Switzerland
14
th
Euro-Global Gastroenterology Conference
Secondary occult Hepatitis C Virus infection (HCV) in chronic HCV patients after treatment with
sofosbuvir and daclatasvir
Sara L Asser, Nashwa A Abu Khadr, Hanan H Nouh, Nesrine F Hanafi
and
Yousra A Hussain
Alexandria University, Egypt
H
CV direct-acting antivirals revolutionized the treatment outcomes especially in areas considered to be highly
endemic as Egypt, where the government adopted a National Treatment Program and successfully reached
a large sector of the HCV patient’s population. High response rate to treatment with Sofosbuvir and Daclatasvir
necessitated confirmation of total cure through excluding HCV occult infection. Our aim was to estimate the
occurrence of occult HCV in patients treated with Sofosbuvir and Daclatasvir, by detecting HCV RNA in their
PBMCs. Quantitative estimation of HCV viral load in serum samples and PBMCs of 40 patients undergoing
treatment with Sofosbuvir and Daclatasvir, was done using COBAS Ampliprep
TM
/COBAS TaqManTM. At the start
of treatment serum samples were positive for HCV RNA (ranged from 2.50x10
3
-6101.0x10
3
). After one month of
the treatment our data revealed that serum HCV RNA was negative by PCR. After three months, HCV RNA was
detected in PBMCs in 10 out of 40 via RT-PCR. Comparison between the results of HCV RNA in serum and PBMCs
by PCR after three months of treatment, showed statistically significant difference of p=0.001. This reveals the high
prevalence of HCV RNA in PBMCs denoting occult HCV infection after combined treatment with Sofosbuvir and
Daclatasvir. It also signifies that although the combined treatment was effective in eliminating the virus from the
serum, it is less effective in its elimination from the PBMCs. These results also highlight the importance of testing for
HCV RNA in PBMCs after end of treatment to confirm total HCV elimination.
sara.asar@alexmed.edu.egJ Gastrointest Dig Syst 2019, Volume 09