Hepatitis C infection does not increase all cause mortality

Hepatitis C infection does not increase all cause mortality in the first decade of infection, but those infected have an increased risk of dying from a liver related cause, particularly if they consume excess alcohol. Harris and colleagues (p 450) report on their cohort study of 924 British transfusion recipients infected with hepatitis C virus who were traced during the "lookback" programme. They found that testing positive for the viral ribonucleic acid, having acquired the infection at an older age, and increasing years since transfusion were associated with developing liver disease. Continuing observation of this cohort will help determine the long term outcome of hepatitis C infection.

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Relevant Article

Clinical course of hepatitis C virus during the first decade of infection: cohort study

Helen E Harris, Mary E Ramsay, Nick Andrews, and Keith P Eldridge
BMJ 2002 324: 450. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]