Host Factors in Chronic Viral Hepatitis

ABSTRACT

The clinical outcomes of both hepatitis B and C virus infection are immensely variable, ranging from subclinical, self-limiting infection to end-stage liver disease with hepatocellular carcinoma. Knowledge of the host factors that determine these outcomes is important for the understanding and management of these diseases and may in the future guide rational drug development. Epidemiologic studies have elucidated the role of age (at the time of infection) and sex on disease outcome and the complex role of HIV coinfection has become clearer with time. More recently, investigation of genetic susceptibility to the most adverse outcomes of infection has identified the importance of polymorphisms in the MHC class I and II loci, mannose-binding protein, and the TNFα promoter. However, relative to malaria, the study of genetic susceptibility in viral hepatitis is still in its infancy.

KEY WORDS

genetic susceptibility - mannose-binding protein - TNFα - MHC - hepatitis B virus - hepatitis C virus