title: Relationship of serum markers of hepatitis B and C virus replication in coinfected patients.
abstract: To evaluate viral interference between hepatitis B and C, we studied coinfected patients serologically and molecular biologically. Twenty-seven patients positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody, were classified into Groups BC-L and BC-H according to DNA-polymerase activity (less or greater than 100 cpm, respectively). Patients with hepatitis B or C alone were also enrolled as controls. HCV-RNA was detected more often in Group BC-L than in Group BC-H. Genotype 1b of HCV was determined in 75% of Group BC-H, 87.5% of Group BC-L, and 70.7% of hepatitis C-only patients. Activity of DNA-polymerase in coinfected patients was lower in patients positive for HCV-RNA as compared with those negative. HBsAg titers tended to be lower in coinfected patients than in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) alone. In conclusion, in coinfection, HBV may suppress the replication of HCV and HCV appears to reduce the expression of HBsAg and probably suppresses HBV replication.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Okayama University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimomura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wato
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasui
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuji
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral