title: Recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation.
abstract: Cirrhosis due to hepatitis C is now the commonest indication for liver transplantation in Western Europe and in the United States. Graft reinfection is almost universal. The natural history of recurrent hepatitis C ranges from minimal damage to cirrhosis in a few months or years. Different virus and host immune factors are involved in the pathogenesis of hepatitis and are determinants of the outcome. The association between immunosuppression and severity of HCV recurrence is conflicting and remains to be evaluated fully. The treatment of recurrent HCV disease with IFN or ribavirin, as monotherapy, is ineffective. Preliminary results from combination therapy, however, are encouraging. Currently, a reasonable approach would be to treat patients with histological and clinical disease progression. New approaches for the prophylaxis of recurrent hepatitis C are under evaluation but whether this treatment will influence the severity of liver disease or the outcome of recurrence is still unknown.
authors.affiliation: Royal Free Hospital, Department Of Medicine, Liver Transplantation And Hepatobiliary Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pastacaldi
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Papatheodoridis
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Burroughs
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons