Chronic hepatitis C and Crohn's disease:: Nosocomial infection treatment with PEG-interferon plus ribavirin

We describe the case of a patient with a diagnosis of Crohn's disease and accidental infection during abdominal surgery by hepatitis C virus (HCV) who received combination therapy with pegylated interferon-alpha 2b (1.5 mu g/kg weekly) plus ribavirin (10.6 mg/kg daily) for histologically demonstrated chronic hepatitis C. After 48 weeks treatment, serum transaminase levels were normal and viremia (HCV RNA) was negative (end-of-treatment response); 24 weeks later (follow-up period), a sustained virological response was demonstrated. The tolerance to combination antiviral therapy was good, without intestinal symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease recurrence. We conclude that current antiviral therapies with immunomodulatory effects may be helpful and safe for patients with inflammatory bowel disease infected by hepatitis C virus. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.