Each log drop represents a 9/10ths reduction  - or 90% reduction - in viral
load. So a two log drop would be a 99% reduction (9/10ths of 9/10ths).

A three log drop by week 12 requirement seems new to me - is this the
insurance company talking or are you enrolled in a study? (sorry - can't
remember your particulars). A two log drop at 12 weeks may not be a standard
yet but I suspect there are many insurance companies that are heading there.

Have you had any other viral load tests since you started treatment?
How about LFTs?

/greyhackles

We are so very lucky that Elmo isn't on Usenet these days...
<g>

After 12 weeks, if you have a 2-log drop in viral load, it's pretty much a
done deal that your treatment is working and you will achieve an SVR. An SVR
is a "sustained viral response" which means that there is no detectible
virus in your bloodstream six months after you complete treatment. Which
pretty much means that you're cured.

Very few people have the virus detected after six months. Unfortunately,
tests are not accurate enough to detect very small amounts of virus, so if
you had 2 copies per million of hcv in your blood six months after treatment
(yes, highly unlikely), it might take a year or two for it to reach a
detectible level. Fortunately, this rarely happens, so if you have no
detectible hcv after two years, you can consider your treatment successful.

I've never heard of a 3-log drop as a requirement to complete treatment. The
only reason I can think of is that you're on a drug trial and the test is to
see if a 3-log drop is possible in 12 weeks, but you would have been advised
if this is a condition of your treatment.

Keep us posted. This is interesting.

Take care, and drink lots of water <g>

Waterspider

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 02:30:40 GMT, "g" <drdigger@sbcglobal.net>, in
message ID <kXeni.23197$Rw1.7474@newssvr25.news.prodigy.net>, in the

As greyhackles say, a 2 log drop is a 99% drop.  I suppose the easiest
way to look at it is to knock two noughts off the end of the starting
viral load number.  If the number you have after 12 weeks is less than
that then you've got the 2 log drop required to continue tx. Like the
others, I've not heard of a 3 log drop being the requirement before.
My start viral load was only 91,000 so would have left me needing 91
or less.  In the event, it was undetectable and stayed that way until
18 months after tx.  Presumably it's still undetectable nearly 3 years
after tx but maybe should get it checked again in case I'm an unusual
case.

I was treated by the VA as well and I think in that second statement
you mean 2 log drop.  Nobody checks for a 3 log drop as far as I know.
Also, they weren't telling you that because they were planning to boot
you.  Genotype 1 patients who don't achieve a 2 log drop by 12 weeks
of treatment face a very poor chance for SVR and most places will stop
treatment because of that.  A better idea might be to try switching to
a different interferon.  I don't know if the VA has that kind of
flexibility but that might be worth a try if you don't get that 2 log
drop.  But let's not jump to conclusions here.  You may get that 2 log
drop.  Let's hope so.  Good luck to you DrDigger.

Don