New research from the University of New South Wales shows some people may repeatedly be able to clear hepatitis C virus from their bodies, without any biological traces of the potentially serious infection. The surprise finding could lead to the development of a vaccine against the virus, which currently affects around 210,000 Australians and can cause liver cancer and liver failure. The research has just been published in the prestigious Journal of Infectious Diseases. The study found some individuals with high-risk behaviour, involving blood-to-blood contact, appear to develop “protective immunity” against the virus, thereby becoming resistant to persistent infection.
