GRANULOMAS AND HEPATITIS-C

Hepatitis C (HCV) is associated with a number of characteristic histol ogical features., A recent paper has identified an increased frequency of granulomas in resection specimens from cases of HCV. We have carri ed out a retrospective study of 155 cases of HCV to assess the frequen cy of granulomas in biopsy specimens, We had two control groups: 151 c ases of hepatitis B (HBV) and 129 cases of alcohol induced liver disea se, Granulomas were found in 14 cases of HCV (10%), three cases of HBV (2%) and three cases of alcohol induced liver disease (2%). Granuloma s were significantly commoner in cases of HCV than in the other two gr oups, Of the 14 cases of HCV, the granulomas could be ascribed to anot her cause in seven cases. When the analysis was carried out, excluding those granulomas which could be ascribed to another cause, they were still significantly commoner in cases of HCV, We conclude that granulo mas are more frequent in HCV but that in half of cases in which they a re found another cause can be identified. This means that if granuloma s are seen in association with hepatitis C another aetiology should be sought before ascribing them to HCV.