HCV-RNA positivity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic HCV infection: does it really mean viral replication?

Table 2 Detectability of HCV-RNA in serum and PBMC during an IFN-α_2a therapy

PatientNo.	Before therapy	During therapy	After therapy
	HCV-RNA concentration (copy/mL) (HCV-RNA: serum pos./ PBMC pos.)	HCV-RNA concentration (copy/mL) (HCV-RNA: serum pos./ PBMC n.d.)	HCV-RNA concentration (copy/mL) (HCV-RNA: serum pos./ PBMC n.d.)	HCV-RNA concentration (copy/mL) (HCV-RNA: serum pos./ PBMC pos.)
1	64717	< 600	1)	1)
2	14300	< 600	1)	1)
3	132224	< 600	2)	167898
4	107684	624	2)	135242
5	161718	1404	1)	1)
6	5620	903	1108	938861
7	183091	2041	1)	1)
8	172345	< 600	1960	86679
9	29542	775	2)	770810
10	219018	1138	< 600	7240
11	42601	< 600	1)	1)
12	237335	< 600	1)	1)
13	25097	2263	1)	1)
14	553901	1144	2)	4706
15	868996	2)	627	349918

Abbreviations: 1) responder; 2) no sample available.