Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How often is treatment successful?

Response rate mostly depends on viral genotype. The virus cannot be found in the blood six months after treatment for70-80% of patients with genotype 2 or 3. For these people, therapy is given for 6 months. In patients with genotype 1, treatment is given for a full year. These patients have a 42-46% chance of getting rid of the virus.

Other factors that affect the success of treatment:

• How much virus there is in the blood
• Scarring in the liver (cirrhosis)
• Infection with HIV at the same time
• Blood and liver iron levels
• Sex, race, and body weight
• Age at infection
• Length of infection