By IDSE News Staff
Scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have discovered how hepatitis C virus (HCV) can lead to cryoglobulinemic vasculitis in up to 15% of cases, disproving a long-standing theory.
Scientists believed this autoimmune response occurred because viral proteins mimicked the body’s own proteins, confusing the immune system into attacking both. Instead, the critical trigger may be mutations in “rogue clone” B cells (Immunity 2025 Jan 15.