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Antibody to hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic schistosomiasis
K Uemura1, T Kawaguchi, T Sodeyama
1Kofu City Hospital, Yamanashi-Ken, Japan.
Insights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection accelerates liver damage in schistosomiasis patients. Co-infection with HCV is linked to chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma in these individuals.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Parasitology
Background:
- Chronic schistosomiasis is a significant public health concern.
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide.
- The interplay between schistosomiasis and HCV infection requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of HCV infection on liver function in patients with chronic schistosomiasis.
- To determine the prevalence of HCV antibodies in schistosomiasis patients.
- To explore the association between HCV infection and liver pathology in schistosomiasis.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 96 schistosomiasis patients and 137 controls with chronic liver disease.
- Detection of antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) and assessment of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels.
- Histological examination of liver biopsies in anti-HCV positive and negative schistosomiasis patients.
Main Results:
- HCV infection prevalence was similar in schistosomiasis patients with elevated ALT (52.9%) and chronic liver disease patients (48.9%).
- No HCV antibodies were detected in schistosomiasis patients with normal ALT levels.
- Anti-HCV positivity correlated with higher rates of hepatic fibrosis, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma in schistosomiasis patients.
Conclusions:
- HCV infection exacerbates liver dysfunction in chronic schistosomiasis.
- HCV infection is a potential etiological factor in the development of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma in schistosomiasis patients.
- A causative association between HCV infection and liver cancer in schistosomiasis is suggested.
Abstract:
To clarify the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with chronic schistosomiasis, 96 patients with schistosomiasis and 137 patients with chronic liver disease without schistosomal infection were analysed by domination of antibody to HCV (anti-HCV). In 45 of 96 schistosomiasis patients, the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level was continuously elevated, and the positive rate of anti-HCV was 52.9%, which is almost the same prevalence rate as in patients with chronic liver disease (48.9%). In contrast, in the remaining 51 schistosomiasis patients, serum ALT level was continuously within the normal range and the positive rate of anti-HCV was 0%. Histological investigation showed that the positive rate of anti-HCV in HBsAg-negative schistosomiasis patients was 14% for hepatic fibrosis, 71% for chronic hepatitis, 80% for liver cirrhosis and 56% for hepatocellular carcinoma. In all anti-HCV-positive patients, serum ALT level was continuously elevated. The serum transaminase levels in anti-HCV-positive patients were higher than those in anti-HCV-negative patients. These data suggest that in patients with chronic schistosomiasis, HCV infection accelerates the derangement of liver function, and may be a major aetiological factor in the development of chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis, supporting a causative association between HCV infection and hepatocellular carcinoma.