The effect of lamivudine on the replication of hepatitis B virus in HIV-infected patients depends on the host immune status (CD4 cell count).
We retrospectively analysed the effect of lamivudine on hepatitis B virus (HBV) in HIV-co-infected patients. In this small study we document a CD4 cell-dependent response on HBV replication with lamivudine therapy. In this respect, hepatitis B may be considered an opportunistic infection. Our finding may have important clinical consequences, and large prospective studies are necessary to investigate this further.
Haverkamp
Margje
M
Department of Medicine, Division of Acute Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Smit
Maarten
M
Weersink
Annemarie
A
Boucher
Charles A
CA
Hoepelman
Andy I
AI
D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine