Silent Threat: Fatal Consequences of Occult Hepatitis C Viral Infection in a Kidney Transplant Recipient: A Case Report and Literature Review

We present the case of a 54-year-old female patient with a history of treated hepatitis B who underwent living-related kidney transplantation from her son. The timing of the transplantation and immediate postoperative period was uneventful, with no significant complications. However, within 3 months, she was repeatedly hospitalized because of persistent jaundice, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, and liver function tests indicated considerable liver injury. Extensive investigations have revealed an occult hepatitis C virus infection that occurred before transplantation. The patient subsequently developed acute fulminant liver failure accompanied by severe gastrointestinal bleeding. Despite aggressive medical management, her condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to death. This case underscores the importance of comprehensive viral screening in transplant recipients, particularly those with risk factors or symptoms of hepatitis C virus infection, to prevent potentially life-threatening complications following transplantation.