Occult Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Review
Open Access
- 14 February 2018
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Xia & He Publishing in Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology
- Vol. 6 (2), 1-6
- https://doi.org/10.14218/jcth.2017.00053
Abstract
Occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (OCI), first described in 2004, is defined as the presence of HCV RNA in hepatocytes or peripheral blood mononuclear cells without detectable HCV RNA in the serum. Here, we aimed to review the epidemiology, diagnostic methods, clinical implications and potential management recommendations currently described in the literature, as well as the future directions for investigation of this entity. PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched with combination of the following keywords: “occult”, “hepatitis C virus”, and “occult HCV infection”. There are data to support OCI as a potential culprit in cryptogenic liver disease. There are also consistent data demonstrating the existence of OCI in specific populations, such as dialysis, human immunodeficiency virus-infected and hepatitis B virus-infected patients, and also in the general population. While the gold standard for diagnosis is liver biopsy, examination of peripheral blood mononuclear cells may be a reliable, safer alternative method of diagnosis. Occult HCV infection is likely associated with liver fibrosis and progression of liver disease. Additional studies are required to determine the infectivity of OCI patients, as well as clarify the natural course and specific clinical implications of OCI. Lastly, studies are needed to determine whether treatment of OCI leads to decreased morbidity and/or mortality.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Occult Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Candidates for Liver Transplant With Cryptogenic CirrhosisHepatitis Monthly, 2013
- Prevalence and Follow-Up of Occult HCV Infection in an Italian Population Free of Clinically Detectable Infectious Liver DiseasePLOS ONE, 2012
- Long‐term virological follow up of patients with occult hepatitis C virus infectionLiver International, 2011
- Diagnostic strategy for occult hepatitis B virus infectionWorld Journal of Gastroenterology, 2011
- Diagnosis of occult hepatitis C without the need for a liver biopsyJournal of Medical Virology, 2010
- Occult HCV Infection: An Unexpected Finding in a Population Unselected for Hepatic DiseasePLOS ONE, 2009
- Hepatitis C virus infection in the family setting of patients with occult hepatitis CJournal of Medical Virology, 2009
- Occult Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Hemodialysis PatientsJournal of the American Society of Nephrology, 2008
- Ultracentrifugation of Serum Samples Allows Detection of Hepatitis C Virus RNA in Patients with Occult Hepatitis CJournal of Virology, 2007
- Comparison of Qualitative (COBAS AMPLICOR HCV 2.0 versus VERSANT HCV RNA) and Quantitative (COBAS AMPLICOR HCV Monitor 2.0 versus VERSANT HCV RNA 3.0) Assays for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) RNA Detection and Quantification: Impact on Diagnosis and Treatment of HCV InfectionsJournal of Clinical Microbiology, 2005