Isolated antibody to hepatitis B core antigen in human immunodeficiency virus type-1-infected individuals.
We screened 651 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-infected subjects for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs). Of a total of 387 subjects who tested negative for both HBsAg and anti-HBs, 142 underwent further testing for isolated presence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc). Of these 142 subjects, 60 (42%) tested positive for anti-HBc (isolated anti-HBc). Individuals coinfected with HIV-1 and hepatitis C virus (HCV) were more likely to have isolated anti-HBc than were subjects with HIV-1 alone (80% vs. 16%, respectively). Our findings suggest that individuals with HIV-1/HCV coinfection for whom there is no serological evidence for hepatitis B virus when screened with HBsAg and anti-HBs will be positive for anti-HBc in >75% of cases. A screening strategy that tests only for HBsAg and anti-HBs in HIV-1-infected patients will miss a large number of individuals with isolated anti-HBc.
Gandhi
Rajesh T
RT
Infectious Diseases Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. rgandhi@partners.org
Wurcel
Alysse
A
Lee
Hang
H
McGovern
Barbara
B
Boczanowski
Melinda
M
Gerwin
Roslyn
R
Corcoran
Colleen P
CP
Szczepiorkowski
Zbigniew
Z
Toner
Sarah
S
Cohen
Daniel E
DE
Sax
Paul E
PE
Ukomadu
Chinweike
C
D000328:Adult; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens