title: Patterns of hepatitis B virus infection in Brazilian human immunodeficiency virus infected patients: high prevalence of occult infection and low frequency of lamivudine resistant mutations.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) molecular profiles were determined for 44 patients who were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 and had antibodies to the hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), with and without other HBV serological markers. In this population, 70% of the patients were under lamivudine treatment as a component of antiretroviral therapy. HBV DNA was detected in 14 (32%) patients. Eight out of 12 (67%) HBsAg positive samples, 3/10 (30%) anti-HBc only samples, and 3/22 (14%) anti-HBs positive samples were HBV DNA positive. HBV DNA loads, measured by real time polymerase chain reaction, were much higher in the HBsAg positive patients (mean, 2.5 x 10(9) copies/ml) than in the negative ones (HBV occult infection; mean, 2.7 x 10(5) copies/ml). Nine out of the 14 HBV DNA positive patients were under lamivudine treatment. Lamivudine resistant mutations in the polymerase gene were detected in only three patients, all of them belonging to the subgroup of five HBsAg positive, HBV DNA positive patients. A low mean HBV load (2.7 x 10(5) copies/ml) and an absence of lamivudine resistant mutations were observed among the cases of HBV occult infection.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michel V F
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Sucupira
authors.forename: Francisco C A
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.forename: Eneida A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Niel
authors.forename: Valeria C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Rolla
authors.forename: Juçara
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arabe
authors.forename: Selma A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Gomes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D019259:Lamivudine