Recurrent clinical exacerbations of liver disease during the course of infection with hepatitis C virus.
Symptomatic clinical relapses during the course of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are uncommon. Furthermore, acute liver dysfunction with elevated bilirubin during alpha-interferon therapy without other apparent coexisting diagnoses is rare. The case of a 31-yr-old man with three clinical exacerbations of HCV infection over an 18-month period is described. The third episode was characterized by rising serum aminotransferase levels on alpha-interferon therapy. The precise cause of this patient's flares is unknown. An immunologically mediated clearance of the hepatitis C virus, mutation of HCV, or infection with different HCV viral strains are the leading possibilities.
Yavorski
R T
RT
Department of Medicine, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Smith
M A
MA
Sjogren
M H
MH
Wong
R K
RK
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin