Hepatitis C virus infection in anti-HBe-positive HBsAg carriers with chronic liver disease.
In the present study, sera from chronic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers positive for antibody to hepatitis B 'e' antigen (anti-HBe) with evolutive liver disease as correlated with anti-HBe-positive healthy carriers, were examined for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV). Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 32/124 (25.8%) anti-HBe-positive carriers with chronic liver disease and in none of the 46 healthy carriers. When anti-HCV positivity was evaluated in relationship to the degree of severity of liver disease and possible confounding factors such as hepatitis B virus replication or other potential hepatolesive factors were eliminated by using logistic regression, the odds ratio of liver cirrhosis versus chronic persistent hepatitis was 18 (95%, CI 3.5-92.5). Therefore, our results indicate that HCV may be implicated in the determinism and severity of liver damage in a significant proportion of anti-HBe-positive chronic HBsAg carriers.
Fiore
G
G
Istituto di Clinica Medica II, Università di Bari, Italia.
Napoli
N
N
Fera
G
G
Giannelli
G
G
Perricci
A
A
Lonero
G
G
Schiraldi
O
O
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens