Hepatitis C virus may infect extrahepatic tissues in patients with hepatitis C

摘要

AIM To explore the status of extrahepatic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and replication in hepatitis C patients, and its potential implication in HCV infection and pathogenicity. METHODS By reverse-transcriptase poly- Merase chain reaction 9RT-kkkkPCR), in situ Hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry, HCV RNA, HCV replicative intermediate (minus- Strand of HCV RNA), and HCV antigens were Detected in 38 autopsy extrahepatic tissue Specimens (including 9 kidneys, 9 hearts, 9 Pancreas, 5 intestines, 2 adrenal glands, 2 Spleens, 1 lymph node, and 1 gallbladder) from 9 Hepatitis C patients, respectively; and the Status of HCV replication in extrahepatic tissues Was studied.