The status of liver transplantation for hepatitis C

Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2006 Oct;6(10):993-1002. doi: 10.1517/14712598.6.10.993.

Abstract

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects 3% of the world's population, or approximately 170 million people. Most of those acutely infected progress to chronic infection and are unresponsive to existing antiviral treatment. Over a 20-year period, chronic HCV infection leads to cirrhosis and the sequelae of end-stage liver disease, including hepatic encephalopathy, ascites, variceal haemorrhage and hepatocellular carcinoma. Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the optimal treatment for decompensated HCV cirrhosis, but is limited by organ availability and universal graft reinfection. This review discusses the results with OLT for HCV from the Dumont-UCLA Liver Transplant Center and discusses future directions in the management of HCV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / immunology
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / prevention & control
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis / immunology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / prevention & control
  • Liver Cirrhosis / surgery
  • Liver Transplantation / methods*
  • Liver Transplantation / trends
  • Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / immunology
  • Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Viral Hepatitis Vaccines