1. HCV positive patients prior to commencement and at the end of treatment with either standard or pegylated Interferon plus Ribavirin. This group will be subdivided into responders and non-responders to treatment. Core liver biopsies under ultra-sound guidance are already routinely performed on this group prior to the commencement of treatment. For the purpose of this study non-responders to combination therapy are those individuals who remain HCV-RNA positive at the end of treatment.