Prevalence of HBV, HDV and HCV hepatitis markers in HIV-positive patients

Abstract

Since HIV infection could condition the natural history of parenterally transmitted viral hepatitis (HBV, HCV, HDV), with possibly differing effects in different risk groups, we decided to retrospectively examine sera from a cohort of 637 HIV seropositive patients in different stages of infection, seen from 1985 to 1992, to study the prevalence and temporal course of these infections. Virological markers of HBV, HCV and HDV were determined by ELISA and RIBA methods. The severity of HIV infection was higher in homosexuals than in drug addicts. Prevalence of antiHBc antibodies was 82% in drug addicts and 77% in homosexuals, whereas antiHCV antibodies prevalence was 72% in drug addicts and only 7% in homosexuals (p < 0.000001). When only antiHBc-positive patients were considered, there was a significant difference in antiHBs antibodies between drug addicts (DA) and homosexuals (OR for DA 0.29, 95% CI 0.08/0.83, p = 0.02), suggesting that drug addicts are less able to produce a protective response. This fact cannot be explained by the severity of HIV infection (which was higher among the homosexual group) and suggests some immunodepressive effect of drug abuse. Delta infection was only detected in the drug addict group, and the prevalence was low. Finally, we cannot confirm the interference of HCV infection with the speed of HBsAg clearance: in this study the prevalence of HBsAg was almost the same in HCV-positive and negative patients.

Serological pattern ?anti-HBc alone?: Report on a workshop

“…HCV/HDV coinfection may also suppress HBV replication and thus lead to the "anti-HBc alone" serostatus [Liaw et al, 1991b;Fong et al, 1991;Fattovich et al, 1991;Liaw et al, 1992;Sheen et al, 1992;Shih et al, 1993;Francisci et al, 1995;Park et al, 1995;Jilg et al, 1995;Jylberberg and Pol, 1996;Hofer et al, 1998;Opravil et al, 1998]. This assumption is consistent with the frequent coincidence of anti-HBc and HCV markers and is supported by in vitro experiments [Shih et al, 1993].…”

The Rio de Janeiro HIV Vaccine Site: I. Recruitment Strategies and Socio-demographic Data of a HIV Negative Homosexual and Bisexual Male Cohort in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…In a study with patients with AIDS from São Paulo (Gir et al 1994) this rate was 33% and in Europe (Lemp et al 1994) the rate was 20%. Our 80% positivity rate was similar to that found in Italy where anti-HBc in HIV (+) was 77% (Francisci et al 1995).…”

HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV coinfection, and outcomes following highly active antiretroviral therapy

“…P *, overall P. industrialized countries [14]. In contrast, the prevalence of HCV coinfection is lower than the 20-30% seen in countries such as the USA, Spain and Italy [15][16][17], where injecting drug use contributes a larger proportion of HIV infection than in Australia [18].…”