4 research outputs found
Longitudinal evaluation reveals a complex spectrum of virological profiles in hepatitis B virus/Hepatitis C virus coinfected patients.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection is often associated with
severe forms of liver disease. However, comprehensive studies are lacking, and scant information
is available regarding the virological behavior over time in coinfected patients. This
study enrolled 133 untreated HBV/HCV-positive patients (male/female 102/31; median
age 51 years [range: 22-83 years]) who were longitudinally followed up for 1 year with
bimonthly evaluation of HBV/HCV viremia levels and liver biochemistry. Thirty of these
patients had triple infection with hepatitis Delta virus (HDV), while 103 patients were
HDV-negative. In the HDV-negative group, active infection with both HBV and HCV was
revealed in 24 cases, inactive infection by both viruses was seen in 15 cases, active HBV/
inactive HCV was seen in 15 cases, and inactive HBV/active HCV was seen in 49 cases.
However, 32 subjects (31%) presented dynamic virological profiles characterized by fluctuation
of HBV and/or HCV viremia levels that at different time points were over or under the
cutoff limits. Consequently, a correct diagnosis could be performed in these subjects only by
serially repeating the virological tests 1 year apart. Similarly, 15 of the 30 HDV-positive
subjects showed active HBV and/or HCV infection, with fluctuating virological patterns in
8 cases. In conclusion, this study showed that the virological patterns in HBV/HCV coinfection
are widely divergent and have dynamic profiles. A careful longitudinal evaluation of
the viremia levels of both viruses is essential for making a correct diagnosis and tailoring the
appropriate therapeutic schedule in coinfected patients