title: CHARACTERISTICS OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS COINFECTION AMONG HIV-INFECTED PREGNANT WOMEN.
abstract: The similar routes of transmission for HIV and HBV place patients with either infection at greater risk for HIV/HBV co-infection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the particularities of hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection in pregnant women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and its influence on pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of 74 HIV-infected women monitored during pregnancy in the Iasi Regional HIV/AIDS Center (Romania) from 2010 to 2013. The subjects were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of HBV coinfection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most subjects belonged to age group 20-24 years (90% in the HIV group versus 75.5% in the HIV/HBV-coinfected group). HIV infection was most commonly transmitted by parenteral route (65.5% vs. 48.9%). The majority of patients were married (60% vs. 65%) and primiparous at the time of enrollment (71.1% vs. 96.6%). In the HIV/HBV-coinfected group CD4 level was lower and mean plasma viral load higher (1.92 log10 copies/mL vs. 2.31 log10 copies/ml). The proportion of cases with severe immunosuppression was similar in both groups (18.1% vs. 17.9%). HBV-HIV coinfection induced a risk of prematurity of 1.51 times, but did not increase the risk of newborns with low birth weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Advanced stages of HIV disease, age group 21-30 years, low CD4 counts, and low levels of education are significant risk factors for preterm birth and low birth weight.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Juganariu
authors.forename: Andra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teodor
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petrovici
authors.forename: Nicolau
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cristina
authors.forename: Egidia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miftode
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D060085:Coinfection; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology