Elimination of hepatitis C virus has limited impact on the functional and mitochondrial impairment of HCV-specific CD8+ T cell responses

•HCV-specific CD8+ T cell phenotypes and functional responses are not universally restored during DAA-induced HCV clearance.•Mitochondrial fitness of virus-specific CD8+ T cells unaltered by cessation of persistent HCV replication.•In vitro immune check-point inhibition mediated selective revival of in vitro DAA unresponsive HCV-specific CD8+ T cells.