Different antiviral effects induced by interferon or entecavir in HDV infected human-chimeric uPA/SCID mice determined by new intrahepatic qRT-PCR assay

Chronic co-infection with hepatitis B and Delta viruses (HBV, HDV) is associated with more severe liver damage compared to HBV mono-infection. Knowledge of the virological changes induced by the different antiviral treatments available is scant. Aim of our study was to investigate the antiviral effects induced by pegylated interferon alpha (peg-IFN-α) and HBV polymerase inhibitors on HDV productivity in human-chimeric uPA/SCID mice and by using a novel strand-specific qRT-PCR strategy enabling detection of all HDV RNA replicative intermediates in patient liver biopsies. Methods: Chronic HBV/HDV infected humanize…