title: Does hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus infection influence CD4 count in HIV-positive individuals?
abstract: Objective of the study was to determine whether there is any influence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on CD4 count decline rate in HIV-infected individuals. Retrospective analysis of consecutive CD4 counts was conducted in 72 HIV-infected untreated individuals (including 57 intravenous drug addict (i.v.d.a.)) in relation to their serological markers of HBV and HCV infection and the history of i.v. substance abuse. Anti-HBc seropositive individuals had slower CD4 count decline rates compared to anti-HBc seronegative ones (-0.20%/month vs. -2.90%/month, Kruskal-Wallis H = 4.77, p = 0.029). Anti-HCV serostatus had no influence on CD4 count decline rates (-0.47%/month for anti-HCV seropositive persons vs. -0.61%/month for anti-HCV seronegative ones, p = 0.91). History of i.v. substance abuse did not affect the CD4 count decline rates too (-0.83 for i.v.d.a. vs +0.74 for non-i.v.d.a., p = 0.26). In our study HIV-infected individuals seropositive for anti-HBc tended to have substantially lower CD4 count decline rates compared to seronegative ones. Neither anti-HCV serostatus nor the history of i.v. substance abuse influenced the CD4 count decline rate. This observation arises question about the possible nature (molecular?, immune-based?) of potential mutual interactions between HIV and HBV infections.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Medical Academy, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Smiatacz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zielińska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000276:immunology