title: Frequency of HIV and HCV Co-Infections in Chronic HBV Patients Referred to Taleghani Hospital, Tehran, Iran from 2006 to 2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Co-infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and/or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can alter the course of the disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we investigated the frequency of HIV and/or HCV co-infection in chronic HBV patients and related risk factors in acquiring the HCV and or HIV co-infectionit.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 264 chronic HBV patients who visited the Gastrointestinal and Liver Ward of the Taleghani Hospital, Tehran, Iran between 2006 and 2010. Demographic information and records of possible risky behavior were obtained. Antibodies against HBV, HCV, and HIV, levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST), and conversion from hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) to hepatitis B e antibody (HBeAb) were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 264 patients with chronic HBV in this study, 184 patients (70%) were men and 78 patients (30%) were women. Only 1 patient (0.37%) was positive for anti-HIV antibody, whereas 12 patients (4.54%) were positive for anti-HCV antibody. None of the patients had co-infection with all 3 viruses (HBV, HIV, and HCV).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that the prevalence of HCV is higher than that of HIV in chronic HBV patients. Since HCV or HIV co-infection affects the therapeutic outcome in chronic HBV patients, testing for HIV and HCV is recommended, especially for patients with a history of risky behavior.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad Ebrahim
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tahaei
authors.forename: Seyed Reza
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Mohebbi
authors.forename: Pedram
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Azimzadeh
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vahedi
authors.forename: Shohreh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Almasi
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Romani
authors.forename: Afsaneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharifian
authors.forename: Faramarz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Derakhshan
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Zali