Pegylated interferon seems to be stronger than the original form. It is also used in combination with ribavirin. HCV treatment usually lasts 6 or 12 months, depending on which Hep C genotype you have. This means that the amount of HCV in their blood is too low for the test to detect. People who still have detectable HCV after treatment may need to continue using interferon at lower doses.
Several factors affect how well Hep C treatments work.
If you don't share equipment to use drugs and avoid other contact with the blood of people infected with Hep C, your risk of Hep C infection will be lower. Because HIV and Hep C are both spread by contact with infected blood, many people are infected by both viruses. This is called coinfection. For people with HIV, Hep C can be more serious and can cause liver damage more quickly. People with HIV are more likely to transmit Hep C to others because their Hep C viral loads are higher.