Anti-hepatitis C virus therapy in liver transplanted patients

Antonino Picciotto

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

Abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) management in the transplant setting is still an open issue. The therapeutic strategies being addressed include: (a) pre-transplant prophylaxis (to prevent the infection of the transplanted organ); (b) post-transplant prophylaxis (to reduce the possibility of developing acute hepatitis); (c) management once the chronic disease has already set in and stabilized. Combination therapy with peginterferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin seems to play an important role for patients with established recurrent hepatitis C.

Keywords: liver transplantation, hepatitis C, peginterferon, ribavirin