title: Hepatitis B in the human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient: epidemiology, natural history, and treatment.
abstract: Coinfection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is common in the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV)-infected patient because of shared modes of transmission. HBV does not appear to alter HIV disease progression; however, HBV infection is more frequent and more severe in the HIV-infected population, emphasizing the importance of preventing HBV infection. The goal of anti-HBV therapy is prevention of cirrhosis because therapy does not eradicate the hepatic reservoirs (cccDNA). The approved therapies-interferon-alfa, lamivudine, and adefovir-each have a niche in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in the HIV-infected population, but none has been well-studied in this setting. As new drugs currently in clinical trials become available, therapy for chronic hepatitis B will enter the promising era of combination therapy.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21231-1001, USA. cthio@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Chloe L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Thio
mesh_terms: D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans