title: Hepatitis C virus and autoimmunity.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus infection is associated with several extrahepatic manifestations. About 60% of patients infected with HCV develop at least one extrahepatic manifestation. The majority of these diseases seem to be triggered through autoimmune mechanisms, such as autoantibody production, autoreactive T cells and complex autoimmune mechanisms leading to systemic autoimmune disorders. In this review we categorize these diseases into three groups according to the main pathogenetic process involved, in particular B-cell-mediated, T-cell-mediated and complex autoimmune systemic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Barbara C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Böckle
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Norbert T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Sepp
keywords: Autoimmune mechanism; Extrahepatic manifestations; Hepatitis C; Lymphoma; Mixed cryoglobulinaemia vasculitis