title: High prevalence of occult hepatitis C virus infection in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the absence of detectable antibodies against HCV and of viral RNA in serum is called occult HCV infection. Its prevalence and clinical significance in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is unknown. HCV RNA was tested for in the liver samples of 52 patients with chronic HBV infection and 21 (40 %) of them were positive for viral RNA (occult HCV infection). Liver fibrosis was found more frequently and the fibrosis score was significantly higher in patients with occult HCV than in negative ones, suggesting that occult HCV infection may have an impact on the clinical course of HBV infection.
authors: Fundación para el Estudio de las Hepatitis Virales, Madrid, Spain.
authors: Inmaculada
authors: I
authors: Castillo
authors: Fundación para el Estudio de las Hepatitis Virales, Madrid, Spain.
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Bartolomé
authors: Fundación para el Estudio de las Hepatitis Virales, Madrid, Spain.
authors: Juan Antonio
authors: JA
authors: Quiroga
authors: Fundación para el Estudio de las Hepatitis Virales, Madrid, Spain.
authors: Vicente
authors: V
authors: Carreño
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000821:virology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral