Hampering HCV transmission

Abstract

Hepatitis C Virus No hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine is currently available. Furthermore, evidence from studies in nonhuman primates suggests that any future human HCV vaccine would be unlikely to induce complete immunity. Major et al. examined whether lowered HCV titers potentially resulting from an imperfect vaccine might still stem HCV transmission in people who inject drugs. They measured the HCV RNA from infected human plasma retained in contaminated needles and syringes. Their mathematical model combining these measurements with published data on HCV viral kinetics suggested that a partially effective vaccine could reduce the HCV transmission risk from sharing contaminated needles and syringes. Sci. Transl. Med. 10 , eaao4496 (2018).