Hepatitis C virus-related
end-stage liver disease, alone or in combination with alcohol, has become the leading indication for
liver transplantation in most transplant programs accounting for approximately half of transplants performed in European centers. Hepatitis C virus
infection recurs virtually in every post-transplant patient. The natural history of
hepatitis C after
liver transplantation is variable. Progression of
chronic hepatitis C virus is more aggressive after
liver transplantation with a cumulative probability of developing graft
cirrhosis estimated to reach 30% at 5 years. Approximately 10% of the patients with recurrent disease will die or require re-
transplantation within 5 years post-
transplantation. Several factors, including those related to the virus, the host, the environment and the donor, are probably implicated in the outcome. The immune status represents the main significant variable in influencing disease severity in hepatitis C virus-infected patients; with higher HCV viral load and the significant association described between the degree of immunosuppression and disease severity. Interventions to prevent, improve, or halt the recurrence of hepatitis C virus
infection have been evaluated by multiple small studies worldwide with similar overall rates of virological clearance of approximately 9-30%. Current consensus recommends combination
therapy with pegylated
interferon and
ribavirin for those patients with histological recurrence of hepatitis C virus
infection and
fibrosis.
Therapy is adjusted to tolerance and rescued with
granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and
erythropoietin for bone marrow suppression. In this article we present a comprehensive review of post-transplant hepatitis C virus
infection; in particular
fibrosis progression and the major challenges according to treatment.