title: Genetic diversity of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-co-infected patients from Venezuela.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and genetic diversity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-co-infected Venezuelan patients. The prevalence of HBV and HCV markers of infection in HIV-1 patients was 14% for anti-hepatitis B core antigen, 3% for hepatitis B surface antigen and 0.7% for anti-HCV, respectively. HBV prevalence was higher than HCV, as expected for a country where sexual intercourse, not intravenous drug use, is the main mode of HIV-1 transmission. The HCV genotype distribution in HIV-1-co-infected patients was similar to that obtained in HCV-mono-infected patients, but genotype 1a was more frequent in HIV-1-infected patients. The HBV genotype distribution exhibited differences between mono-infected and HIV-1-co-infected individuals. HBV F3 was the most common subgenotype in both groups, followed by F1b in HIV-1 co-infection and F2 in HBV mono-infection. In addition, genotype G (single infection) was found in an HIV-1-co-infected individual. A high prevalence of occult HBV infection was detected in HIV-1-co-infected naïve patients (18%), with F2 being the most common genotype (75%). To the best of our knowledge, these results correspond to the first description of frequency and molecular characterization of HBV and HCV in HIV-1 Venezuelan patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apdo 20632, Caracas 1020-A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Rossana C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Jaspe
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apdo 20632, Caracas 1020-A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Yoneira F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Sulbarán
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apdo 20632, Caracas 1020-A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Carmen L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Loureiro
authors.affiliation: Sección de Infectología, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, UCV, Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Nahir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apdo 20632, Caracas 1020-A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Marisol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Devesa
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apdo 20632, Caracas 1020-A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Yesseima
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Sección de Infectología, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, UCV, Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Jaime R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apdo 20632, Caracas 1020-A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Héctor R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Microbiología y Biología Celular, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Apdo 20632, Caracas 1020-A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Flor H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Pujol
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult