Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6108732 | Journal of Hepatology | 2011 | 11 Pages |
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) re-infection of the graft is universal and interferon based antiviral therapy remains at present the treatment of choice in HCV liver transplant recipients. Apart from the antiviral effects, interferon and ribavirin have both potent immunomodulatory properties resulting in a broad range of immune-related disorders including acute cellular rejection and chronic ductopenic rejection as well as de novo autoimmune hepatitis. Further complicating the picture, HCV infection per se is associated with a variety of autoimmune phenomena. We discuss here the immune-mediated complications and their relationship to chronic HCV and interferon based antiviral therapy.
Keywords
Related Topics
Health Sciences
Medicine and Dentistry
Gastroenterology
Authors
Nazia Selzner, Maha Guindi, Eberhard L. Renner, Marina Berenguer,