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Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with gut dysbiosis, and the microbiome transition could be a biological indicator of chronic hepatitis C progression in patients with mild liver disease, according to a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
The gut microbiota is closely associated with the progression of liver diseases, and previous studies indicate that gut dysbiosis affects chronic liver disease, including the most severe forms (ie, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma). However, there are few data on the effect of HCV infection on gut microbiota and the relationship between gut dysbiosis and chronic hepatitis C progression.
The authors concluded that, “HCV infection is associated with gut dysbiosis, even in patients with mild liver disease.” Thus, the findings of this study may help in developing therapies for controlling gut microbiota, such as the use of pre- and probiotics or fecal microbiota transplantation to prevent chronic hepatitis C progression.