Occult Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Where are We Now?

Management of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Current Perspectives

“…Most experience minimal or no symptoms during the initial few decades of the infection [63].Chronic hepatitis may be associated with fatigue [18],and mild cognitive problem [64].Chronic infection after several years may cause cirrhosis or liver cancer [13].The liver enzymes are normal in 7-53%.The late relapses after apparent cure have been reported but these can be difficult to distinguish from reinfection [65].…”

“…The common problem due to hepatitis C but not involving the liver is mixed cryoglobulinemia (usually the type 11 form)-an inflammation of small and medium-sized blood vessels [71].Hepatitis C is also associated with autoimmune disorder Sjogrensyndrome,a low platelet count, lichen planus porphyria cutanea tarda,neurolytic acral erythema, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy, autoimmune thyroiditis,and B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders [72],20-30% of people infected have rheumatoid factor-a type of antibody [73].Possible association include Hyde's prurigonodularis [74],and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis [65].Cardiomyopathy with associated with abnormal heart rhythms has also been reported [75].A variety of central nervous system disorders has been reported. Chronic infection seems to be associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer [76,77].…”

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Overt and Occult Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Chronic Kidney Disease Patients under Regular Hemodialysis in Egypt

“…(12) These percents has been lowered in the past few years because of improved prevention measures like using gloves, single-use material, and the isolation of HCV infected people in dialysis units. (13) Although the mechanism of HCV replication is not fully understood, it is assumed that virus replication involves the synthesis of a negative strand RNA molecule that acts as a template for production of positive strand or genomic HCV-RNA. (14) Thus detection of the HCV-RNA negative strand is indicative of viral replication.…”

“…(15) The virus can also replicates at extra-hepatic sites as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). (13,16) So, it has been proposed that PBMCs could be the source of recurrent HCV infection after liver transplantation. (17) As the first definition of an occult HCV infection was based on detecting HCV-RNA in hepatocytes, (18) the presence of HCV-RNA in the liver is the reference method.…”

“…However, liver biopsy is not readily available and the newly available noninvasive methods for evaluating fibrosis could make it less common. (13) Also, HCV-RNA can be detected in PBMCs of patients with occult HCV infection. (18,19) So, an alternative for diagnosing an occult HCV infection could be to look for HCV-RNA in PBMCs.…”