Hepatitis C virus infection and organ transplantation

In recent years， rapid progress has been made in strategies for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis C virus （HCV） in organ transplant candidates and recipients， and although HCV infections no longer threaten transplantation outcomes in liver or non-hepatic solid organ transplantation， they remain a focus of research. Since hepatitis C is still a leading cause of death worldwide due to decompensated cirrhosis， liver failure， and hepatocellular carcinoma， appropriate organ transplantation is needed to improve survival rate and quality of life. With the increase in HCV-positive solid organ donors in recent years and the fact that the demand for organs still greatly exceeds organ supply， as well as the development of direct-acting antiviral agents， transplantation of HCV-viraemic organs into HCV-naïve recipients will significantly increase transplantation rates and reduce waitlist mortality. The efficacy of current HCV therapies has created an important opportunity to improve the survival rate of patients with end-organ failure by enhancing access to organ transplantation and reducing waitlist mortality.