Here is a post that was lost during the transition to the new format:
I just returned to town yesterday only to read the recent threads regarding occult HCV and HBV issues. Thanks for bringing the 'old board' back to life!!! Good to hear all of you weighing in, and contributing material for the forum.
Now, as you all know, I have pretty adament opinions on HCV occult, and persistent viral behaviors. Of course my more radical suppositions are still very un-researched, and generally met with skepticism.....BUT each new research article on Persistence after SVR, and after spontaneous clearance, only lends more strength to my concerns.
I begin to see a potential cause for all the Post-SVR problems, that may go beyond Interferon hangover, and damage from tx. I think that the odd, infectious state that may exist after SVR, might well be responsible for many of our long term woes. I still believe that the virus does much more within our bodies than currently understood by mainstream HCV experts. I suspect that Central Nervous System issues, and infection are probably a reality, as well as the Lymphoid, connective tissue, and possibly Brain cell structures as well.
Whether lingering, low level virus causes actual damage in these organs, or causes an 'auto-immune' response is open to question...but I really believe there is something going on....in the SVR population. Maybe the 'liver/ blood' virus, is really a multi-faceted, multi-system infection, that only becomes highly visible, and detectable, when it overcomes the immune barriers, and becomes a chronic, and/or acute blood infection. Thus IVDU's are the most 'visible' group, and generally have the full bore infection!
I still strongly suspect other modes of infection, and transmission, that are NOT the typical, detectable 'Blood/ Liver' types of infection. If the virus can live, and reproduce in Lymphatic, Salivary, connective, and nerve tissue, then there is no reason it cannot be transmitted directly from these to similar tissues in others. It may just not become, nor provoke, a 'typical HCV blood infection', in those persons. Possibly sexual tissues, and gastric tissues could also become infected, and set up silent, undetected low level states of reproduction, causing vague digestive, and reproductive problems. All undetected by typical HCV testing.
I know this is somewhat of a stretch from the straight information the research studies have provided, but there is a LOGIC to what I am stating. And it all follows the findings of the research lately.
I would love to hear some discussion on these theories. I will accept the criticism as well, in advance! Just my individual take on what might be going on. I still can swear that I see odd symptoms in intimate contacts from over the years. Much like CFS, or CFIDS. All these contacts are 'undetected' for the typical blood HCV antibodies. But now, I have more ammunition for why this might be so. Maybe the infection is cellular, and localized. Maybe it is held 'in-check' like SVR's. It might cause NO antibody reaction whatsoever in the blood, but might cause lots of symptoms. (and provoke lots of immune system reactions)
Best wishes to all, and hopes that you are all well, and enjoying the holiday! Let's hear the hooting!
DoubleDose