Severe acute cerebrovascular disease revealing hepatitis C virus infection: effectiveness of alpha-interferon

It is well known that hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be associated with cryoglobulinemia-induced central and peripheral nervous system disorders, even without significant hepatic damage. The effectiveness of alpha interferon treatment was tested in a small series of patients with controversial results. We present here a case of a previously undetected HCV infection announced by acute and severe multifocal cerebrovascular disease with polyneuropathy. We also report the favorable effects of timely alpha interferon treatment on the main clinical and laboratory disease markers.