[Natural history of hepatitis C virus infection]

Infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV) generally induces an asymptomatic acute hepatitis. HCV infection becomes chronic in about 80% of cases. Chronic HCV infection is asymptomatic with persistent viremia and normal liver tests in a minority of the subjects. Chronic HCV infection is associated with chronic hepatitis with increased serum transaminases levels in the majority of the subjects. Among the patients with chronic hepatitis, the majority have minimal lesions; about 20% have a more severe disease and will develop after 5 to 20 years cirrhosis. In patients with cirrhosis, the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is high (around 5% per year). The factors influencing the evolution of HCV infection are not know. Alcohol is certainly an important factor. Virus related factors, such as genotype and level of replication, might also be important factors.