title: Prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in patients with chronic liver disease and its relationship to HBV and HDV infections.
abstract: The prevalence of anti-HCV, anti-HDV and of HBV markers has been investigated in a series of 209 consecutive patients (age 18-74 years) with chronic liver disease. Among 155 HBsAg negative patients (53 chronic hepatitis cases and 102 cirrhosis cases), anti-HCV were found in 69% of the cases. 67% of the 155 patients also carried anti-HBc, with no difference between patients positive or negative for anti-HCV. Among the 54 HBsAg positive patients, 10 (18.5%) also had anti-HCV, 22 (40.7%) were anti-HDV positive and 12 (22.2%) had serum HBV-DNA. One patient had concomitant anti-HDV and anti-HCV and another presented anti-HCV and serum HBV-DNA. 21/54 patients had liver cirrhosis on presentation and among these 17 (81%) were anti-HCV and/or anti-HDV positive. On the whole, 123/209 patients had liver cirrhosis on presentation and in 107 of them HCV infection may have played a role.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Medicine, c/o Osp. Gesu' e Maria, Naples, 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: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spadaro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chionne
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Freni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ajello
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Costantino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giusti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens