Hepatitis C: the complications of immune dysfunction.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been linked to numerous diseases of immune dysfunction, including, but not limited to, essential mixed cryoglobulinemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Clinical studies support these associations and treatment of the underlying HCV infection has been variably successful. Recent studies, focusing on the role of HCV gene products, have discovered evidence of dysregulated responses in multiple aspects of host immunity that may be contributing to the genesis of these diseases. Novel treatments that target these areas of dysregulation offer hope for improved therapy for the diseases associated with immunodysregulation by HCV.
King
Ellis
E
East Tennessee State University, Department of Internal Medicine, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, Box 70622, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA. e_king65@yahoo.com
Trabue
Christopher
C
Yin
Deling
D
Yao
Zhi Q
ZQ
Moorman
Jonathan P
JP