Occult Infection with Hepatitis C Virus: Looking for Clear-Cut Boundaries and Methodological Consensus.

ABSTRACT: The sustained virologic response and elimination of HCV is widely viewed as a true cure of chronic hepatitis C as it associates with amelioration of histological liver damage and improved clinical outcomes. Therefore, the existence and clinical burden of occult HCV infection (OCI) has been a controversial issue for many years. In this review, we summarize recently published data that adds new information on the molecular and clinical background of OCI and its epidemiological significance. We also identify and discuss the most important methodological pitfalls, which can be a source of inconsistency between studies. Data that have accumulated so far, strongly support the existence of extrahepatic HCV replication in individuals negative for serum HCV-RNA by conventional clinical tests. OCI e

SUBMITTER: Wroblewska A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8707082 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature