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Organ-Specific Autoimmunity in HCV-Positive Patients

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HCV Infection and Cryoglobulinemia

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Abstract

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection predisposes patients to the onset of diseases involving other organ systems. Indeed, more than 50% of patients with HCV infection develop at least one autoimmune extrahepatic manifestation. These manifestations may be triggered by virus-induced autoimmunity with autoantibody production, autoreactive T cells, and intricate autoimmune reactions that lead to organ-specific or non-organ-specific autoimmune diseases involving the kidneys, skin, eyes, joints, nervous system, etc. Some extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C are relatively common (e.g., cryoglobulinemia), while others, such as autoimmune thyroid diseases or type 1 diabetes mellitus, are uncommon and their association with HCV has yet to be fully elucidated. In this chapter, we consider the main organ-specific autoimmune disorders directly related to HCV infection or indirectly induced by treatment for HCV infection, and interferons in particular.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

    Corrado Betterle

  2. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Medical University of Padua, Padua, Italy

    Fabio Presotto

  3. Unit of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Este (Padua), Padua, Italy

    Fabio Presotto

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  1. Corrado Betterle
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  2. Fabio Presotto
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Correspondence to Corrado Betterle .

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  1. , Department of Internal Medicine and Clin, University of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, Bari, 70124, Italy

    Franco Dammacco

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Betterle, C., Presotto, F. (2012). Organ-Specific Autoimmunity in HCV-Positive Patients. In: Dammacco, F. (eds) HCV Infection and Cryoglobulinemia. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-1705-4_5

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