title: Hepatitis-C and hepatitis-B co-infections in patients with human immunodeficiency virus in Tehran, Iran.
abstract: We carried out a study to determine the seroprevalence of HBV and HCV infections in HIV positive patients at a main referral center for HIV/AIDS in Iran. Serum samples from 201 HIV positive patients referring to a referral center for HIV/AIDS were analyzed for the presence of some hepatitis B (HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs) and Hepatitis C (anti-HCV) markers, during 2004- 2005. HBsAg was positive in 27 patients (13.4%), anti-HBc was positive in 60 patients (29.8%) and anti-HBs in 23 patients (11.4%). Anti-HCV Ab was positive in 135 of 201 (67.2%). HBV and HCV coinfection was observed in 73 of 201 (36.3%). The maximum prevalence of HBV-HIV and HCV-HIV coinfections were seen in intravenous drug users; 61.2% and 85.1%, respectively (P<0.0001). The minimum prevalence of HBV-HIV and HCV-HIV were seen in HIV patients' wife (HIV(+) patients who were infected by monogamous sexual contact with their HIV positive husband) both of them were 8% (P<0.0001). This study showed that HBV-HIV and HCV-HIV coinfections are significant in patients with HIV/AIDS in Iran. A greater relevance was observed in the association between HCV and HIV. This study suggests that it is necessary to investigate risk factors and risk groups for these infections in Iran.
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: SeyedAhmad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: SeyedAlinaghi
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jam
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mehrkhani
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fattahi
authors.forename: Duman
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sabzvari
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kourorian
authors.forename: Hossain
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jabbari
authors.forename: Minoo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohraz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors