S. Ohkoshi et al., A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF HEPATITIS-C VIRUS CARRIERS IN A LOCAL ENDEMIC TOWN IN JAPAN - A POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF ASYMPTOMATIC CARRIER, Digestive diseases and sciences, 40(2), 1995, pp. 465-471
Chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma are the acc
epted sequelae of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However,
the real natural history of HCV infection is not still well understood
. To approach this problem, we investigated 91 individuals positive fo
r antibodies against HCV (anti-HCV), who have received annual liver fu
nction examination in a local town known to have had high carrier rate
s of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV. Among the 91 anti-HCV-positive i
ndividuals, 63 had undertaken the annual examination more than five ti
mes in the past 14 years. We analyzed retrospectively the past liver f
unction test results of these 63 subjects and evaluated their present
virological status by determining HCV genotypes and estimating quantit
y of HCV RNA in the sera. Among the 63 subjects, 50 (79.4%) had HCV RN
A in the serum and 40 (80%) of the 50 subjects with HCV RNA had abnorm
al alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase level more t
han once in their records. However, the other 10 (20%) had no abnormal
levels during the period examined. Six of 50 (12%) had ultrasonograph
ic findings suggestive of cirrhosis. Thus, HCV-infected individuals in
this area did not seem to have progressive liver diseases. Considerin
g the advanced ages of the individuals examined (mean 64 years old), w
e may have observed a stage in the natural history of HCV infection in
which viremia persists in most individuals and the tendency to progre
ss to serious chronic liver disease is mild.