title: Long-term follow-up of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus replicative levels in chronic hepatitis patients coinfected with both viruses.
abstract: Dual infection with hepatitis B and C viruses is often encountered in endemic areas of both viruses. However, understanding of the clinical and virological implications is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of each virus in liver injury and the interaction between the two viruses in dual infection with hepatitis B and C viruses. Three patients who had chronic infection with both hepatitis B and C viruses were examined, and a longitudinal study of both serum hepatitis B virus DNA and hepatitis C virus RNA levels over 4 years was undertaken. The results were correlated with serum alanine aminotransferase levels. Serum alanine aminotransferase values showed a relationship with hepatitis B virus replicative levels, but not with hepatitis C virus replicative levels in all 3 patients. Serial changes of replicative levels of both viruses were studied, and it was found that hepatitis C virus replicative levels were enhanced after the decline of hepatitis B virus replication in 1 of the 3 patients. In the remaining 2 patients, a transient rise of hepatitis C virus replicative levels in association with a decrease of hepatitis B virus replication was also observed during part of the follow-up period. These findings indicate that hepatitis B virus may play a dominant etiological role in liver injury, and that a suppressive action between hepatitis B and C viruses may occur in dual infection with both viruses.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Medicine, Osaka University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohkawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yuki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masuzawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hosotsubo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deguchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasahara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001483:Base Sequence; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase