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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication
Published on: June 26, 2014
Cohort effect of HCV infection in liver cirrhosis assessed by a 25 year study
1Istituto di Anatomia Patologica, University of Trieste, 34100, Trieste, Italy.
Insights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was increasingly detected in liver cirrhosis cases from 1969 to 1994, peaking in 1989. Genotype G1 was most common, and HCV did not alter the cirrhosis progression.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The precise role of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease remains incompletely understood.
- Clarifying the association between HCV and liver cirrhosis is crucial for understanding disease progression and public health implications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and trends of HCV infection in patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.
- To determine the predominant HCV genotypes associated with cirrhosis and assess the impact of HCV on the natural history of the disease.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 123 cirrhotic liver tissue samples collected between 1969 and 1994 from autopsy archives.
- HCV viral genome detection using RNA extraction from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, followed by RT-PCR and dot-blot hybridization for genotyping (G1, G2, G3).
Main Results:
- HCV genome was detected in 50.4% of the cirrhotic liver samples.
- HCV prevalence showed an increasing trend from 1969-1979 (35-38%) to a peak of 77% in 1989, then decreased to 50% by 1994.
- Hepatitis C virus genotype G1 was identified in 89% of positive cases, and no significant difference in the age at death was observed between HCV-positive and HCV-negative patients.
Conclusions:
- The findings demonstrate a significant increase in HCV infection among individuals with liver cirrhosis between 1969 and 1994, suggesting a cohort effect originating in the late 1950s-early 1960s.
- Hepatitis C virus genotype G1 is strongly associated with liver cirrhosis.
- HCV infection does not appear to significantly alter the natural course or progression of liver cirrhosis, as evidenced by comparable mortality ages.
Background:
The role of HCV infection in the development of chronic liver disease is still unclear.
Objectives:
Assess the presence of HCV infection in patients with liver cirrhosis.
Study Design:
123 cases of cirrhotic liver randomly selected over a 25 years period (1969-1994) from the autopsy archives of the Pathology Department of the University of Trieste, Italy, were analyzed for the presence of HCV viral genome.
Methods:
Total RNA was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of the cirrhotic liver. Genotype analysis for HCV was performed after RT-PCR by dot-blot hybridization with the three major genotype-specific probes (G1, G2 and G3).
Results:
The overall HCV genome frequency was 50.4% (62/123). The positivity was quite constant in the 1969-1979 period (35-38%), rose to 65% in 1984, peaked to 77% in 1989 (P<0.005 vs. the previous decade), and decreased to 50% in 1994. HCV genotype G1 was found in 89% of the 62 positive samples. The mean age of death of HCV-positive and HCV-negative patients was comparable (69+/-12 vs. 67+/-16 years, NS).
Conclusions:
These data show an increasing frequency of HCV infection in cirrhotic liver tissues from 1969 to 1994, which peaked in 1989. The genotype G1 was the almost uniquely associated with cirrhosis. These findings indicate that the HCV infection occurred around the late 1950s-early 1960s, thus supporting the hypothesis of a cohort effect. HCV infection seems not to alter the natural history of liver cirrhosis as indicated by the comparable age at death of HCV positive and HCV negative patients.
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