Table 3.
Average Number of HCV Genome Molecules Produced per Actively Infected Cell
| Specimen | Number of HCV genome molecules estimated for the entire liver (VL) | Number of hepatocytes actively producing HCV genomes (I)* | Average molecules of HCV genomes produced per hepatocyte with active viral replication (P)† |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-1 | 5.9 × 1011 | 1.2 × 1010 | 49 |
| A-2 | 1.4 × 1012 | 2.2 × 1010 | 64 |
| B-1 | 1.8 × 1011 | 8.0 × 109 | 23 |
| B-2 | 7.6 × 1011 | 2.4 × 1010 | 32 |
| C | 9.4 × 1011 | 4.2 × 1010 | 22 |
| D | 3.1 × 1011 | 4.2 × 1010 | 7 |
| E | 1.8 × 1012 | 5.0 × 1010 | 36 |
*The number of hepatocytes actively producing HCV genomes is obtained by multiplying 2 × 1011 hepatocytes per liver by the percentage of cells positive for replicative-intermediate RNA.
†The calculation of P is based on the assumption that the majority of HCV genomes found in the liver are generated from virus-producing cell, and that the number of viral genomes spreading to adjacent cells or reinfecting liver from blood is too small to be counted.