Evaluation of chronic alcoholic liver cirrhosis associated with hepatitis-c virus

Hepatitis C virus (HCV), the agent responsible for most cases of blood born hepatitis is a major cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and HCV related endstage liver disease. Large amount of scar tissue in the liver is a result of chronic inflammation and injury leading to cirrhosis. Significant amounts of consumption of alcohol are the most important factor in accelerating progression to cirrhosis. Quasi - species nature of HCV allows the virus to cause chronic infection. HCV is not directly cytopathic and liver lesions are mainly related to immune mediated mechanisms. The present paper deals with the co-factors influencing the outcome of the disease, wide spectrum of clinical presentations in HCV and the significance of various laboratory tests in the case of liver cirrhosis along with HCV.