Hepatitis C virus, insulin resistance, and diabetes: A review

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and diabetes mellitus (DM) are two chronic diseases that are a cause of significant health and economic burdens worldwide. HCV is associated with the development of insulin resistance (IR) and DM. The mechanisms through which HCV induces IR and DM include direct viral effects, proinflammatory cytokines, and other immune-mediated processes. Type 1 DM (T1DM) and type 2 DM (T2DM) are both chronic diseases that involve impaired glucose homeostasis, albeit through different mechanisms. T1DM is an autoimmune disease that leads to the destruction of pancreatic beta cells resulting in insulin deficiency. In T2DM, a combination of peripheral IR and irregular production of insulin eventually leads to beta-cell destruction and insulin insufficiency. Both T1DM and T2DM etiologies involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The data on HCV and T1DM association remain limited, unlike T2DM, where a large body of evidence linking HCV to T2DM is available. Here, we intend to outline the current state of knowledge on HCV, IR, and DM.