Renal Manifestations of Hepatitis C Virus

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a hepatotropic and lymphotropic virus responsible for hepatic and extrahepatic autoimmune and neoplastic disorders, including renal involvement, which is the consequence of immune-mediated organ damage due to glomerular deposition of immune-complex and/or anti-HCV IgG antibodies and complement. It can appear at any time during the natural history of HCV infection, more often as membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, alone or in association with other HCV-related disorders. The presence of renal involvement should be investigated in HCV-infected individuals at the first referral and during clinical follow-up.

Keywords: Autoimmunity; Cryoglobulinemia; Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis; Glomerulonephritis; Hepatitis C virus; Kidney; Lymphoma; Renal involvement.