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Hepatitis C - Are You smarter than a 5th grader?
Ask a question on this thread and let's see how smart/fast we really are.
Who discovered Hepatitis C?
Who discovered Hepatitis C?
Just to chime in
http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/disease
Merriam Webster Medical
Definition of DISEASE
: an impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body or one of its parts that interrupts or modifies the performance of the vital functions, is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms, and is a response to environmental factors (as malnutrition, industrial hazards, or climate), to specific infective agents (as worms, bacteria, or viruses), to inherent defects of the organism (as genetic anomalies), or to combinations of these factors : sickness, illness—called also morbus; compare health 1
Lynn
http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/disease
Merriam Webster Medical
Definition of DISEASE
: an impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body or one of its parts that interrupts or modifies the performance of the vital functions, is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms, and is a response to environmental factors (as malnutrition, industrial hazards, or climate), to specific infective agents (as worms, bacteria, or viruses), to inherent defects of the organism (as genetic anomalies), or to combinations of these factors : sickness, illness—called also morbus; compare health 1
Lynn
Looks like the referenced page was moved. Here's how to get there.
mdpi.com
type"Hepatitis C Liver" in the title search box. I believe it's the first titled
called......
"Hepatitis C Virus, Cholesterol and Lipoproteins - Impact for the Viral Life Cycle and Pathogenesis of the Liver".
mdpi.com
type"Hepatitis C Liver" in the title search box. I believe it's the first titled
called......
"Hepatitis C Virus, Cholesterol and Lipoproteins - Impact for the Viral Life Cycle and Pathogenesis of the Liver".
I think it's because of what is produced in the liver that makes it so perfect to replicate HCV. I did read that HCV replication has requirements that appear
only in the liver.
www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/5/5/1292
download the full text for free.
only in the liver.
www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/5/5/1292
download the full text for free.
We could for example be pushing for more money to directed at research into mutagenesis: HCV's notorious mutation rate and its weak proof-reading during replication are both its strength and maybe its weakness since it always operates very close to self-destruction. There is some reason to see if pushing HCV to mutate even faster and more than it does will push it over the edge and destroy it.
It's not just semantics. Hepatitis C virus and chronic (or acute) hepatitis C virus infection are very different things, no matter what the common usage of the terms in our language. I believe it is vital that the HCV+ community understands and speaks accurately about HCV, HCV infection and treatment for that infection. Were we not so much in the dark or so blurred in our understanding about it all, we might be more effective with the medical/scientific community about treatments, etc, than we are. One of the reasons HAART is so successful for people with HIV is that the HIV community really learned their science and their medicine then demanded that the research and treatment institutions listen to them. If it had been about HIV Gilead would never have gotten away with refusing to do more work on the Sofosbuvir and daclatasvir combo which was looking so effective for HCV-1a and 1b. Think ACTUP. But because we have yet to claim a share of the knowledge and policy, few listened.
If it's the semantics of the thing (yes I understand that HCV is used to refer to both the virus and the disease it causes) then I will say, "I think it is obscene to hold the patent on a virus." Or a bacterium or anything else that occurs naturally.
The point was that others had spent years researching and isolating the virus and Chiron stepped in at the last minute and by simply cloning something derived from others work were able to claim 'ownership' of the virus and prevent others from working on a cure.
Some may think Chiron clever for having the right equipment and the right lawyers to step in at the last moment and exploit this situation. I don't.
The point was that others had spent years researching and isolating the virus and Chiron stepped in at the last minute and by simply cloning something derived from others work were able to claim 'ownership' of the virus and prevent others from working on a cure.
Some may think Chiron clever for having the right equipment and the right lawyers to step in at the last moment and exploit this situation. I don't.
Aaargh. So aggravating. HCV = hepatitis c virus = virions in the type species (6 genotypes) of hepacivirus genus belonging to the flaviviridae family. Chronic HCV infection = CHC, which causes a range of liver and extra-hepatic diseases and is now classified as a disease = "hepatitis C" and "hep C"
Chiron Corporation did not patent CHC (hepatitis C/hep C); it patented the part of the hepatitis C virion genome that it was able to visualize by a cloning process, and that visualized part was what made it possible to run ELISA tests for anti-HCV and later PCR for genotype and viral load.
Sorry about the "duh" --- most unnecessary
Chiron Corporation did not patent CHC (hepatitis C/hep C); it patented the part of the hepatitis C virion genome that it was able to visualize by a cloning process, and that visualized part was what made it possible to run ELISA tests for anti-HCV and later PCR for genotype and viral load.
Sorry about the "duh" --- most unnecessary
No need to be a smart a$$ with the duh crap, just stating what you read when you look it up...... Experts says it's a disease, you say it's not. You entitled to your opinion, and I would guess they are to.....
Best to you.
Best to you.
Call it whatever you want. That's not my point. My point was and is that HCV is not a disease, that a virus is not and cannot be a disease. Some viruses cause disease, some do not. Of course chronic hepatitis C infection (CHC) is often just called Hepatitis C or hep C and is considered a disease. Duh.
Call it what you want but everywhere you go says this...
Hepatitis C is an infection which attacks the liver and causes inflammation. Hepatitis C is classified as an infectious disease which is caused by a virus known as the hepatitis C virus or HCV. Commonly, patients aren’t even aware that they have hepatitis C, because this disease is often asymptomatic.
(see also: Hepatits C Clinical Trials and Treatments for Hepatitis C)
A disease that is asymptomatic shows no signs or symptoms, so the carrier is often not aware of the presence of the disease. This is very unfortunate, as many patients won’t be diagnosed with hepatitis C until years later when their doctor informs them that they have liver damage.
While many cases of hepatitis C tend to asymptomatic, chronic infections can occur in patients. These infections can lead to liver scarring and then eventually cirrhosis, which will generally become apparent in some cases after several years. Hepatitis C is one of several diseases caused by hepatitis viruses, but doctors generally consider this one to be the most severe of the lot. This disease is passed through contact with HCV contaminated blood. It is widely known that many cases of HCV were contrived through the sharing of needles that were used for illegal drugs.
http://www.availclinical.com/clinical-trials/hepatitis-c/hepatitis-c-signs-symptoms/
And because the cloning technology Chiron designed to be able to detect HCV involved realizing and "manufacturing" parts of the HCV genome, the company felt it had a right to some ownership of the sequencing. Rubbish, IMO, but that's the way a lot of bio-scientific intellectual property law works.
And HCV is still not a disease, so Chiron never tried to own a disease. Chronic HCV infection might be a disease, and is categorized as such in many places, but since it is possible that chronic HCV infection can exist but not cause disease, the classification of it as a disease is really more a tool of medical and legal discourses than it is a statement of clinical fact.
There are quite a few excellent texts on virology and a great course from Columbia available at iTunes University.
And HCV is still not a disease, so Chiron never tried to own a disease. Chronic HCV infection might be a disease, and is categorized as such in many places, but since it is possible that chronic HCV infection can exist but not cause disease, the classification of it as a disease is really more a tool of medical and legal discourses than it is a statement of clinical fact.
There are quite a few excellent texts on virology and a great course from Columbia available at iTunes University.
I repeat, HCV is not a disease. No virus is a disease. Some viruses cause disease, some do not. HCV hijacks the protein/RNA expression mechanisms of the liver cell to replicate itself. The attachment to the cell, entry and exit of the new virion triggers the liver's unique powers to regenerate its cells. This causes inflammation and as the process happens millions and millions of times the attempt to regenerate produces scarring (fibrosis) in each cell until the cells are no longer able to regenerate, which can result in bridging fibrosis, cirrhosis and HCC, along with a host of extra-hepatic disorders: disease. Virus and disease: to completely different things: one a mechanism, the other a condition.
"Replication of HCV involves several steps. The virus replicates mainly in the hepatocytes of the liver, where it is estimated that daily each infected cell produces approximately fifty virions (virus particles) with a calculated total of one trillion virions generated. The virus may also replicate in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, potentially accounting for the high levels of immunological disorders found in chronically infected HCV patients."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis_C_virus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis_C_virus
WOW!!! I too am totally blown away. I kept up and understood some of what was written here, but honestly, you guys lost me on most of it!!
I applaud the intelligence/knowledge of this disease to you all. You guys are truly GOOD - I'd never remember all of what each of you have written.
Good job!!
I applaud the intelligence/knowledge of this disease to you all. You guys are truly GOOD - I'd never remember all of what each of you have written.
Good job!!
HCV is a virus, making it "a disease in and of itself". And Chiron patented this gene sequence and forced anyone who wanted to work on it to pay them or be sued. If this is not patenting a disease, what would you call it?
Chiron did not patent any disease --- HCV is not a disease in and of itself. Chiron patented the technology they developed to detect, visualize and begin mapping HCV and its genome. For quite a few years after HCV was cloned in 1988-89, all research into it was dependent on Chiron's original science and Chiron tried very hard to make money left, right and center from it often taking other labs and biopharmas to court in order to protect what Chiron regarded as its intellectual property. Give the amount Chiron spent on developing their assay, it's not so surprising or awful that they wanted to make a big profit. Gilead plays the same sort of game with DAAs because they have to make their mammoth investments in HCV pay off.
I don't think Alter can be credited with discovery of HCV. When screening of blood and plasma products for HAV and HBV didn't eradicate post-transfusion hepatitis, he figured out there was another hepatitis virus there, but he had no idea what ind of virus. He opened up his plasma archive to other labs and made a general call for the technology to detect and visualize the virus he figured must be there. Many tried but only Choo, et al, succeeded.
As to Bradley and his litigation against Chiron. I feel for him as he did a lot of work as well as supplying high titer HCV infected blood from CDC chimps to Chiron for their work, and in the end Chiron just cut him out. He settled with Chiron at first, but then tried to have the first settlement overturned. But just like Chiron, Bradley was trying to make a buck; he actually sold Chiron's intellectual property to Roche even though he had agreed in court that it was not his to sell.
I don't think Alter can be credited with discovery of HCV. When screening of blood and plasma products for HAV and HBV didn't eradicate post-transfusion hepatitis, he figured out there was another hepatitis virus there, but he had no idea what ind of virus. He opened up his plasma archive to other labs and made a general call for the technology to detect and visualize the virus he figured must be there. Many tried but only Choo, et al, succeeded.
As to Bradley and his litigation against Chiron. I feel for him as he did a lot of work as well as supplying high titer HCV infected blood from CDC chimps to Chiron for their work, and in the end Chiron just cut him out. He settled with Chiron at first, but then tried to have the first settlement overturned. But just like Chiron, Bradley was trying to make a buck; he actually sold Chiron's intellectual property to Roche even though he had agreed in court that it was not his to sell.
Patenting a disease ? When does the craziness stop?
Oh right, when the money's gone.
As far as mike's question goes, I have no idea. What I do know is I had a viral load of 750,000 when diagnosed with decompensated cirrhosis.
Perhaps it's like allergies. Why does one person sneeze while another does not when smelling the flowers ?
Our bodies are not the same and frustrating as it may be, to some, we do not all fit in the same box.
Oh right, when the money's gone.
As far as mike's question goes, I have no idea. What I do know is I had a viral load of 750,000 when diagnosed with decompensated cirrhosis.
Perhaps it's like allergies. Why does one person sneeze while another does not when smelling the flowers ?
Our bodies are not the same and frustrating as it may be, to some, we do not all fit in the same box.
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