To C or not to C: these are the questions

Abstract

C LONING OF THE HEPATITIS C virus (HCV) in the absence of an observed particle, a tissue-culture system, an established genomic sequence, or a serologic assay was a remarkable accomplishment that has illuminated the perplexing entity long known as non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis.',* However, despite this illumination, the discovery of HCV has raised innumerable questions, only some of which were contemplated in the dark ages of NANB hepatitis research. This review will focus on the questions and the biologic and clinical issues they engender.