Interstitial pneumonitis after treatment for hepatitis C virus infection.

Pulmonary toxicity is a rare side effect of interferon treatment with a wide spectrum of lung tissue conditions, including interstitial pneumonitis, pulmonary sarcoidosis, bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia, pleural effusion, exacerbation of bronchial asthma, reversible pulmonary hypertension and acute respiratory distress syndrome. We report a case of interstitial pneumonitis in a patient treated with pegylated interferon α2-a and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C virus infection, genotype 1. The case was marked by progression of the respiratory symptoms even after the withdrawn of the pegylated interferon. One-year treatment with systemic corticosteroid ensured a considerable resorption of CT lesions but only a moderate improvement of symptoms and diffusion capacity without a complete recovery.