Mixed Cryoglobulinemia and HCV: an overview

摘要: Chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a worldwide public health problem affecting over 170 million people, or about 3% of the world’s population. In Egypt, the situation is quite worse, with the overall prevalence (percentage of people) positive for antibody to HCV being 14.7%[1].HCV predominantly affects the liver but it can also produce a number of extra hepatic manifestations. It has been reported that 74% of patients with hepatitis C have at least one extra hepatic manifestation, the most common conditions including essential mixed cryoglobulinemia (40%), arthralgia or joint pain (23%), paresthesia (17%), myalgia (15%), pruritus (15%), and sicca syndrome (11%)[2].