COMMENTARY
Hepatitis C
Acute hepatitis C virus infection: a neglected disease?
Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor W L Irving
Department of Microbiology, University Hospital, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK; will.irving@nottingham.ac.uk
A better understanding of the epidemiology and natural history of acute hepatitis C virus infection is vital for effective assessment of the impact of policies designed to reduce transmission
Keywords: hepatitis C virus; natural history; epidemiology; spontaneous clearance
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
In the 16 years that have elapsed since the first report of identification of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), much has been learnt about the epidemiology, natural history, and consequences of chronic infection with this virus. Global estimates of 170 million infected individuals are widely quoted, with infection leading to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and consequent life threatening complications in 20–30% of infected individuals over a lifetime. Cofactors for disease progression, such as increased age at infection, male sex, and alcohol intake, have been described in multiple large scale studies. However, in marked contrast, there are major gaps in our understanding of the process of acute HCV infection, an event which must necessarily precede the development of chronic disease. There are no reliable or validated data on the incidence of acute infections, either at the national or global level. Precise behavioural and other risk factors for acquisition of acute
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