HLA Preferences for Conserved Epitopes: A Potential Mechanism for Hepatitis C Clearance
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections affect more than 170 million people worldwide.Most of these individuals are chronically infected, but some clear the infection rapidly.Host factors seem to play a key role in HCV clearance, among them the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules.Certain HLA molecules, e.g.B*27 and B*57, are associated with