ABSTRACT
Background:CMV infection enhances HCV pathogenesis by preventing the normal mechanisms responsible for HCV clearance, thus playing vital role in HCV persistence and pathogenicity
Objective: To examine the effect of HCV - CMV coinfection on outcome of treatment with pegylated interferon alpha and Ribavirin in chronic HCV patients
Methodology: The study included of 50 cases selected from Outpatient Clinic of The National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute [NHTMRI]. Two groups were classified group 1 [positive HCV PCR and negative CMV Ig G] and included 15 patients versus group 2 [positive HCV PCR and positive CMV Ig G] and included 35 patients
Results: The non responders to treatment were higher in group 2 [65.7 %] than in group 1 [53.3 %] but with no statistical significance
Conclusion: CMV co-infection may influence the HCV treatment outcome, despite it failed to have statistical significance