Diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection

摘要

Hepatitis C virus was identified in 1989 as a major cause of the parenterally transmitted non-A non-B hepatitis. Chronic hepatitis C virus infection affects an estimated 170 million people worldwide1 and is characterised by varying degrees of inflammation and hepatic fibrosis. A proportion of patients with chronic infection will develop progressive liver damage with cirrhosis and complications of end stage liver disease over 20 to 40 years. Chronic infection is now the leading indication for liver transplantation in developed nations and will continue to pose an important health and economic burden during the next 10 to 20 years. Here we outline the criteria for screening, diagnosing, and treating patients with hepatitis C virus infection and describe potential future therapies.