association of HLA class II with hepatitis C virus induced autoimmunity

ABSTRACT

Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection may suffer from some autoimmune disorders. The pathogenesis of autoimmunity in those patients remains unclear but may reflect the host's genetic predispositions. Human leukocyte antigen [HLA] may play a predominant role in this aspect. The aims of this study were to assess the production of autoantibodies in chronic HCV patients and to investigate for the presence of a possible link between the HLA-DRB1 alleles and production of autoantibodies in chronic HCV patients