Impact of acute hepatitis C virus superinfection in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
Superinfection in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is not uncommon. Acute hepatitis delta virus (HDV) superinfection is associated with severe and/or progressive liver disease. The natural course following acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) superinfection has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of acute HCV superinfection.


METHODS
The clinical features during acute phase and long-term outcomes of acute HCV superinfection were studied and compared with a cohort of acute HDV superinfection and a matched control group of active chronic hepatitis B.


RESULTS
Acute HCV superinfection typically occurs as acute icteric hepatitis. The severity is similar to acute HDV superinfection in that hepatic decompensation developed in 34% of patients, hepatitis failure occurred in 11%, and 10% died. During a follow-up period of 1-21 years, patients with acute HCV superinfection had a significantly higher cumulated incidence of cirrhosis (48% at 10 years) and hepatocellular carcinoma (14% at 10 years, 21% at 15 years, and 32% at 20 years) than acute HDV superinfection or active chronic hepatitis B. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance occurred earlier in HCV superinfected patients. Continuing hepatitis after HBsAg seroclearance was observed only in HCV superinfected patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Acute HCV superinfection in patients with chronic HBV infection is clinically severe during its acute phase. The long-term prognosis following acute HCV superinfection is much worse than that following HDV superinfection or active hepatitis B in terms of continuing hepatitis activity after HBsAg loss and the development of cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma.
Liaw
Yun-Fan
YF
Liver Research Unit, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. liveryfl@so-net.tw
Chen
Yi-Cheng
YC
Sheen
I-Shyan
IS
Chien
Rong-Nan
RN
Yeh
Chau-Ting
CT
Chu
Chia-Ming
CM
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000401:mortality*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015163:Superinfection / Q000401:mortality* / Q000821:virology*