Viral etiopathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome: role of the hepatitis C virus.
Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronic infection present some extrahepatic manifestations that may mimic the clinical, immunologic and histological manifestations of primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Thus, HCV patients with sicca symptomatology and positive autoantibodies could be misdiagnosed as a 'primary' SS. Nevertheless, there are several clinical and immunologic features that could help us differentiate both processes.
Ramos-Casals
Manuel
M
Department of Autoimmune Diseases, C/Villaroel 170, Hospital Clínic, Institut Clínic d'Infeccions i Immunologia, 08036 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. mramos@clinic.ub.es
García-Carrasco
Mario
M
Brito Zerón
Maria Pilar
MP
Cervera
Ricard
R
Font
Josep
J
D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology*