Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus among patients with cryptogenic chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis

Many cases of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis cannot be attributed to a known cause and are collectively referred to as cryptogenic chronic liver disease. We have evaluated the role of the hepatitis C virus in the pathogenesis of this condition in a retrospective serum analysis for antibody to hepatitis C virus in 129 patients with cryptogenic liver disease. Other causes of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis were ruled out by clinical, serum biochemical and serological techniques. All 129 patients were HBsAg negative, but 28 (22%) had antibody to HBcAg. Sera were tested by radioimmunoassays using recombinant peptides for antibodies to nonstructural (C 100-3 and C33c) and structural regions (C2…