1.   Over half the patients who acquire acute hepatitis C virus infection develop chronic hepatitis.

2.   The association between chronic hepatitis C virus infection and hepatocellular carcinoma has been described, although the exact oncogenic mechanism is unknown.

3.   Their diagnostic relevance, however, has been questioned recently following the detection of signs of hepatitis C virus infection in autoimmune chronic hepatitis patients.

4.   The relevant clinical, biochemical, and histological data of autoimmune patients, divided according to the anti-hepatitis C virus and autoantibody status, are reported in Table IV.

5.   Of particular interest is the relationship between autoimmune chronic hepatitis and hepatitis C virus infection.

6.   This rules out the possibility that autoantibodies are merely a consequence of hepatitis C virus infection.

7.   Most HIV-positive intravenous drug users are also infected by hepatitis C virus.