Clinical assessment of chronic hepatitis C associated with bilharzial liver, 2 years follow-up study

ABSTRACT

Forty bilharzial patients were subjected to this study. All had hepatitis C virus antigenemia in their blood. They were grouped into two groups. Group I subjected ribavirin therapy for 9 months. Group II receive symptomatic and supportive treatment. Improvement of transaminases blood levels were noticed in all patients of group I, while, an increase in serum bilirubin was noticed. Ascites developed in 2 patients, one during treatment and the other just at the end of it. Depressive mood developed in 3 cases, especially late in the course of antiviral therapy. Non-specific symptoms already were present and showed no improvement, even generalized bony-ache, fatigue and insomnia were increased in patients of group I. Viral antigenemia disappeared in 20% of group I patients after therapy, but relapse occurred in half of that percentage during the 1st year and all were relapsed again by the end of that 1st year after recovery