HEPATITIS-C VIRUS AS A LYMPHOTROPIC AGENT - EVIDENCE AND PATHOGENETICIMPLICATIONS

Hepatitis C virus has been proven to be the major cause of NANB hepati tis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. Based on the ge nome similarities between HCV and flavivirus or pestivirus, this agent has been included within the family Flaviviridae as a separate genus. Among the analogies between HCV and the other members of the same fam ily there is the possibility of infecting blood cells. In particular, significant evidence obtained through studies performed in vivo and in vitro support the concept that HCV is not only a hepatotropic but als o a lymphotropic virus. This suggests that, in addition to playing a r ole in inducing hepatic diseases (both of a non-tumoral and a neoplast ic nature), HCV infection may also play a role in extrahepatic patholo gies. The striking association observed between HCV infection and some autoimmune-lymphoproliferative disorders of either benign or neoplast ic nature is consistent with this hypothesis. However, in analogy with what has been observed in the case of liver disease, the mechanisms i nvolved in the pathogenesis of HCV-related extra-hepatic manifestation s have to be more deeply analysed and clarified.