[Hepatitis C virus infection presenting as a polyarthritis: report of 2 cases]

Several disease have been associated with hepatitis C virus infections, including rheumatologic, hematologic and neoplastic disorders. We report two women, aged 57 and 39 years old whom the initial presentation of hepatitis C virus infection was an arthritis resembling rheumatoid arthritis. Laboratory work up revealed abnormal liver function tests, stimulating the search for hepatitis C virus infection, having both patients positive ELISA tests. Detection of this agent is extremely important when selecting a therapy for the articular disease, since several drugs used in the treatment of rheumatic disorders are potentially hepatotoxic and immunosuppression is risky in the setting of a viral hepatitis.