Extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C

A by-product of increasing experience with patients infected with the hepatitis C virus is the awareness of a variety of extrahepatic syndromes that seem to be associated with HCV infection. Recent investigations into the relationship between the hepatitis C virus and human cells, particularly lymphocytes, have resulted in possible pathophysiological interactions that may begin to explain some of the extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C virus infection. In this review, we will discuss some of the potential interactions from both pathophysiological and clinical viewpoints.