To continue the thread - there is plenty of data to indicate that HCV is NOT eradicated by even successful traditional treatment. That instead what happens is the immune system finds it and keeps it in check. The most telling piece of data in this regard is something dewo brought up earlier - that when 'cured' hcv patients become immunocompromised the hcv not uncommonly reappears.
Dew believes that antivirals will knock it down low enough that it the immune system can bring it under control. Maybe. I believe that there is a good chance that in order to get a cure the immune system has to be trained to find it and that anti-virals alone won't do that as well as when combined with interferon.
I.e. I'd be willing to bet that in 10-15 years or so, when we have the first long term follow up data on SVRs for antiviral wo ifn cocktails that the relapse rate is much higher than with regimens including ifn. Instead of <<1%/year it is over 3%yr (WAG). Still doesn't mean the anti-virals aren't a good deal since I'd still expect the SVR rate to be sooo much higher - but combining with a low tox ifn seems a best compromise unless you want the anti-viral cocktail to be for life like the HIV cocktails.
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