title: [The natural course of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection].
abstract: Chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infections maintain a significant risk for the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and cause a considerable morbidity in the population. Among patients with chronic HBV infection and histologically confirmed hepatitis the annual incidence of liver cirrhosis is 2%. The risk for hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic HBsAg carriers is elevated about 40-230 fold. 20-30% of patients with chronic HCV infection will develop cirrhosis over 20-30 years. Hepatocellular carcinoma evolves yearly in about 3% of patients with chronic HCV infection and cirrhosis, whereas HCV-carriers without cirrhosis usually do not develop hepatocellular carcinoma. The high incidence of serious sequelae warrants a regular surveillance of chronic virus carriers.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Innere Medizin IV, Medizinische Universitätsklinik Heidelberg.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Schwabe
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stremmel
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
vernacular_title: Natürlicher Verlauf der Hepatitis-B- und der Hepatitis-C-Virusinfektion.