Background
Alterations in innate immunity responses might be implicated in the establishment of a chronical infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in more than 80% of infected patients. This hypothesis is supported by the relative success of IFN-alpha-based therapy. Our aim has been to evaluate the consequences of HCV interaction with PBMC on global innate immune functions and to compare it to interaction with other RNA viruses, influenza and HIV-1.