PCR-Based Molecular Diagnosis of Hepatitis Virus (HBV and HDV) in HCV Infected Patients and Their Biochemical Study

Abstract

Seroprevalence of HCV indicates that HCV is found in more than 10% of HBV- or HDV-infected patients worldwide leading to liver disease. Here we show HBV and HDV coinfection association with HCV infected Pakistani patients, study of disease severity, and possible interpretation of associated risk factors in coinfected patients. A total of 730 liver diseased patients were included, out of which 501 were found positive for HCV infection via PCR. 5.1% of patients were coinfected with HBV while 1% were coinfected with HBV and HDV both. LFTs were significantly altered in dually and triply infected patients as compared to single HCV infection. Mean bilirubin, AST, and ALT levels were highest (3.25 mg/dL, 174 IU/L, and 348 IU/L) in patients with triple infection while dual infection LFTs (1.6 mg/dL, 61 IU/L, and 74 IU/L) were not high as in single infection (1.9 mg/dL, 76 IU/L, and 91 IU/L). The most prominent risk factor in case of single (22%) and dual infection (27%) group was “reuse of syringes” while in triple infection it was “intravenous drug users” (60%). It is concluded that HBV and HDV coinfections are strongly associated with HCV infected Pakistani patients and in case of severe liver disease the possibility of double and triple coinfection should be kept in consideration.

Pathogenic viruses: Molecular detection and characterization

“…The PCR-based detection methods have been successfully employed for the detection of both pathogenic DNA and pathogenic RNA viruses. For example, PCR amplification of 242 bp specific portion of hepatitis B genomic DNA, the surface (S) gene, was employed for the detection of hepatitis B virus in patients with liver disease (Riaz et al, 2016). The RT-PCR method was used to detect West Nile virus based on amplification of a 242-bp sequence of the NS5 gene from flavivirus positivesamples .…”

A Young Man Dying Of Fulminant Hepato-Renal Syndrome The Tagging To Alcohol Addiction Obscured the Diagnosis and Precluded the Treatment of Chronic Viral Hepatitis (HBV, HCV, HDV) As the Cause of His Liver Cirrhosis

“…It is estimated that 10% of HBV-infected patients are co-infected with HCV [32] and 5% of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-carriers additionally carry HDV [33]. Since HBV, HCV, and HDV share almost the same modes of transmission [34], infection with more than one virus is possible [35]. Therefore, dual and triple viral infections have been reported from various parts of the world [28][29][30][31][32][33]36,37].…”

“…Not unexpectedly, co-infection with multiple viruses leads to management problems, which explain a higher mortality rate [28,31,34,39]. There are well documented reports in the literature, however, suggesting that standard dual therapy with peg-IFN plus ribavirin can constitute a successful treatment in HCV/HBV/HDV-co-infected patients [28] α Viral hepatitis is treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAA) whereas corticosteroids are contraindicated…”

The Prevalence of Hepatitis B and D Viruses and Evaluating YMDD Mutation in HBV-Suspected Patients in Qom Province, Iran

“…Hepatitis B virus (HBV), which contains doublestranded DNA, is a species of the genus Orthohepadnavirus and a member of the family Hepadnaviridae (1). Its genome consists of four open-reading frames (ORFs), including the largest ORF (Pol) encoding viral polymerase, surface proteins (S-ORF) encoding three carboxy-terminal HBV surface (HBs) proteins, and precore/core (preC/C) ORF encoding the structural core protein, as well as an extra precore sequence.…”

“…Hepatitis B virus can lead to acute or chronic hepatitis and liver cancer and is recognized as one of the global health problems (5). Reuse of syringes and needles, unsafe blood transfusion, shaving from barbers, tattooing, and surgical instruments are the major causes of HBV transmission (1). The prevalence of HBV, which varies geographically, is unknown in some regions, as it can remain asymptomatic for a long period before the emergence of chronic infection-related complications.…”