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Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) may increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD), according to a study from Taiwan, reported in Neurology.

Researchers followed 49,967 people with viral hepatitis and 199,868 uninfected controls for an average of 12 years. Most hepatitis patients were infected with hepatitis B virus (71.3 per cent), while 20.6 per cent had HCV and 8.1 per cent both viruses.

After allowing for con-founders €“ including age, sex and co-morbidities €“ HCV positive people were 29 per cent more likely to develop PD than controls. People infected with hepatitis B or both viruses were no more or less likely to develop PD.

PD patients show marked neuroinflammation. Previous studies suggest that viral infections can trigger inflammation. The authors remark, however, that €additional clinical studies are required to confirm the association between HCV infection, neuroinflammation, and PD€.