Posts
Researchers reviewed data on
patients with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who had been tested for
hepatitis B between 1997 and 2005 from the National Veterans Affairs HCV
Clinical Case Registry. Data indicate that 168,239 individuals who were exposed
to HCV were tested for HBV.
Patients were classified as HCV
exposed if their records indicated two positive HCV tests or one test with a
diagnostic code, and HCV infected if they showed HCV RNA or a genotype. Also,
they were classified HBV exposed if they met certain conditions, such as a
positive test for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAG), HBV DNA, or Hepatitis Be
antigen (HBeAg) hepatitis B core or Be antibodies. If the patients had a
positive HBsAG, HBV DNA, or HBeAG test within one year of HCV diagnosis, they
were considered coinfected.
Of the 168,239 patients with HCV
exposure, 34.7 percent had HBV exposure. There were 102,971 patients with HCV
infection, and 1.4 percent of them were coinfected with HBV. Factors
independently associated with HBV/HCV coinfection were age fifty years or
younger; male sex; positive HIV status; history of hemophilia, sickle cell
anemia, or thalassemia; history of blood transfusion; and cocaine or other drug
use. According to researchers, Hispanics had a reduced risk for coinfection.
The researchers noted that this was
the largest cohort study in the United States to determine the prevalence of
coinfection in individuals with HCV. They commented that among veterans with
HCV exposure to HBV is common, but HBV coinfection is low. They recommend that
patients with HCV exposure be tested for HBV; also, the risk factors mentioned
can be used to target screening and prevention programs for persons with the
highest risk of coinfection.
The full report, “Prevalence and
Predictors of Hepatitis B Virus Co-Infection in a United States Cohort of
Hepatitis C Virus-Infected Patients, was published online ahead of print in the
journal Hepatology, (2013; doi: 10.1002/hep.26400).
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
