title: High prevalence of co-occurrence of anti-HCV and anti-HBc antibodies in chronic hepatitis patients from southern Italy.
abstract: The prevalence of anti-HCV and anti-HBV antibodies was investigated in a series of 77 adult patients with HBsAg negative, non autoimmune chronic liver disease. Anti-HCV were found in 68% and anti-HBc in 71% of the cases; 68% of the patients carried both antibodies. There was no difference in the proportion of anti-HBc positive cases between the anti-HCV positive or negative patients. The intense circulation of HBV infection in Southern Italy during the past decades might explain the high percentage of subjects with anti-HBc. Whether the co-occurrence of HCV and HBV infection may influence the natural history of the liver disease, remains to be established.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Malattie Infettive, 1. Facoltà di Medicina, Università di Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Gaeta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapicetta
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sardaro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chionne
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Costantino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giusti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies