Figure 4. Neutralizing antibodies in 26 patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus, genotype 1a.

Plasma samples from 26 patients with chronic HCV infection, genotype 1a, taken prior to treatment initiation with pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin, were tested against genotype 1a and 1b Core-NS2 recombinants in a two-fold dilution series starting from 1∶50. The NAb₅₀-titers are the highest dilution where the patient samples were able to neutralize 50% of the virus. Each bar shows the percentage of patients in the SVR (n = 14) and non-SVR (n = 12) group in relation to their NAb₅₀-titer.