[The prevalence of hepatitis C virus markers in a series of 14 patients with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia].

This paper studies the prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis B and C virus in 14 patients with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia (EMC), comparing the results with those of 14 systemic erythematosus lupus (SEL) patients and 14 health people. Our results show a very low positivity rate of virus B markers in patients with EMC. In other hand, 10 of 14 patients with EMC have antibodies against hepatitis C virus, both with ELISA and Innolia confirmatory method--and none SEL patient or health people. We conclude, according with other published series, that a very high prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C is found in patients with EMC.