[Severe acute hepatitis C with spontaneous cure].

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is responsible for 20% of all cases of acute hepatitis. However, acute C infection isn't usually recognized in clinical practice, once most of the patients are asymptomatic and, in rare cases, the acute infection can progress to a fulminant form. In 40% of HCV infections, the mode of transmission persist unknown.

Chronic hepatitis C treated with peginterferon alfa plus ribavirin in clinical practice.

Background/aims: The role of genotype and viremia were retrospectively evaluated on sustained virological response (SVR) rates in routine clinical practice.

Methodology: From 1907 patients with chronic hepatitis C proposed for treatment, we analysed 1380 (1124 naive and 256 treatment-experienced) with complete follow-up. Genotype and HCV RNA quantification were assayed by commercial tests.