Host neutralizing responses and pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus infection.

International audienceThe recent development of novel model systems for the early steps of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has rapidly advanced our knowledge of antibody-mediated virus neutralization in patients with acute and chronic hepatitis C. This review summarizes our current understanding of host neutralizing responses during the course of HCV infection. It focuses on recent studies in HCV-infected patients investigating the role of antibody responses for viral clearance as well as the mechanisms of viral escape from virus neutralizing antibodies during progression into chronic infection. Moreover, the potential impact of virus neutralizing antibodies for the development of novel preventive and therapeutic antiviral strategies is discussed