title: The prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection markers and socio-demographic risk factors in HIV-infected patients in Southern Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are two of the world's most important infectious diseases. Our objective was to determine the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) prevalences among adult HIV-infected patients and identify the associations between socio-demographic variables and these HBV infection markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was performed from October 2012 to March 2013. Three hundred HIV-seropositive patients were monitored by the Clinical Analysis Laboratory of Professor Polydoro Ernani de São Thiago University Hospital, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The blood tests included HBsAg, anti-HBc immunoglobulin M (IgM) and total anti-HBc. Patients reported their HIV viral loads and CD4+ T-cell counts using a questionnaire designed to collect sociodemographic data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean patient age was 44.6 years, the mean CD4 T-cell count was 525/mm3, the mean time since beginning antiretroviral therapy was 7.6 years, and the mean time since HIV diagnosis was 9.6 years. The overall prevalences of HBsAg and total anti-HBc were 2.3% and 29.3%, respectively. Among the individuals analyzed, 0.3% were positive for HBsAg, 27.3% were positive for total anti-HBc, and 2.0% were positive either for HBsAg or total anti-HBc and were classified as chronically HBV-infected. Furthermore, 70.3% of the patients were classified as never having been infected. Male gender, age >40 years and Caucasian ethnicity were associated with an anti-HBc positive test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed an intermediate prevalence of HBsAg among the studied patients. Moreover, the associations between the anti-HBc marker and socio-demographic factors suggest a need for HBV immunization among these HIV-positive individuals, who are likely to have HIV/HBV coinfection.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmácia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Saulo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmácia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Andréa do
authors.initials: Ad
authors.lastname: Livramento
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmácia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andrigueti
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmácia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Iara Fabricia
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Kretzer
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Marcos José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Celso
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spada
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Aricio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Treitinger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D060085:Coinfection; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens