title: The Natural History of Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Hemophiliacs.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients affected by hereditary bleeding disorders and treated with non-virus inactivated clotting factor concentrates during the 1970s. Since the onset of the infection is known (first treatment with large-pool non-virus inactivated blood products) these patients are a unique model for studying the natural history of HCV infection and associated complications. The course of Hepatitis can be accurately assessed in these patients because they are regularly followed at hemophilia centers with laboratory, clinical and instrumental tests. In this review, we briefly report the present knowledge about the natural course of HCV infection in hemophiliacs, by analyzing the prevalence of HCV infection, the genotype distribution and the risk factors involved in the progression of chronic Hepatitis into severe liver disease as cirrhosis, liver decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma. Understanding the natural evolution of HCV infection in hemophiliacs helps us to understand better the natural history of HCV infection and to improve the treatment approach to all HCV infected patients.
authors.affiliation: a Servizio di Immunoematologia e Trasfusione- Centro Emofilia , Azienda Ospedaliera di Verona, Ospedale Policlinico , Via Delle Menegone 1, 37134 Verona , Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franchini
authors.affiliation: b V Divisione Medica-Centro Emofilia , Azienda Ospedaliera di Parma , Parma , Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tagliaferri
authors.affiliation: c Servizio di Immunoematologia e Trasfusione-Centro Emofilia , Ospedale S.Chiara, Trento , Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossetti
authors.affiliation: d Medicina Interna A, Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanità Pubblica , Università di Verona , Verona , Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Capra
authors.affiliation: d Medicina Interna A, Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanità Pubblica , Università di Verona , Verona , Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Maria
authors.affiliation: b V Divisione Medica-Centro Emofilia , Azienda Ospedaliera di Parma , Parma , Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pattacini
authors.affiliation: a Servizio di Immunoematologia e Trasfusione- Centro Emofilia , Azienda Ospedaliera di Verona, Ospedale Policlinico , Via Delle Menegone 1, 37134 Verona , Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gandini
keywords: Bleeding disorders; HCV Genotype; Hemophilia; Hepatitis C virus infection