Hepatitis C, systemic inflammation and oxidative stress: correlations with metabolic diseases

Introduction: Hepatitis C chronic infection has long been correlated with numerous systemic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and hepatic steatosis. Recent studies have also revealed an association with atherosclerosis.Areas covered: An analysis is presented on the mechanisms through which the hepatitis C viral infection can lead to a systemic increase in pro-inflammatory markers, especially tumor necrosis factor-a and interleukin-6. The...