Epidemiological and clinical burden of chronic hepatitis B virus/hepatitis C virus infection. A multicenter Italian study

Background/Aims: This study assess prevalence, risk factors, and clinical and virological features of dual hepatitis B virus (HBV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Methods: We evaluated 837 hepatitis B surface antigen positive patients, prospectively enrolled in 14 Italian units. Results: Anti-HCV...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of hepatology 2003-12, Vol.39 (6), p.1036-1041
Main Authors: Gaeta, Giovanni B, Stornaiuolo, Gianfranca, Precone, Davide F, Lobello, Salvatore, Chiaramonte, Maria, Stroffolini, Tommaso, Colucci, Giuseppe, Rizzetto, Mario
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Cirrhosis
Cost of Illness
DNA, Viral - blood
Female
Hepatitis
Hepatitis B Antibodies - blood
Hepatitis B virus-DNA
Hepatitis B, Chronic - epidemiology
Hepatitis B, Chronic - immunology
Hepatitis C Antibodies - blood
Hepatitis C virus-RNA
Hepatitis C, Chronic - epidemiology
Hepatitis C, Chronic - immunology
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Italy - epidemiology
Liver Cirrhosis - epidemiology
Liver Cirrhosis - virology
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Prevalence
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Viral diseases
Viral hepatitis
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Summary:Background/Aims: This study assess prevalence, risk factors, and clinical and virological features of dual hepatitis B virus (HBV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Methods: We evaluated 837 hepatitis B surface antigen positive patients, prospectively enrolled in 14 Italian units. Results: Anti-HCV was present in 59 cases (7%); age specific prevalences were 4.5% (0–30 years), 4.4% (>30–50) and 14% (>50). Independent predictors of dual infection were age >42 years, history of I.V. drug use (IDU), blood transfusion and residence in the South of the country. The strength of the association with IDU was high, but this exposure accounted for five coinfection cases only. Cirrhosis was present in 107 of the 709 patients with HBV alone (15.1%), in 30 of 69 with hepatitis D virus coinfection (43%) and in 17 of 59 with HCV coinfection (28.8%); a light alcohol use was marginally associated with cirrhosis. Of 36 B/C coinfected patients, 16 (44.4%) had only HBV-DNA in serum, (median age=47.5 years) five (13.9%) had both HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA (age=53), nine (25%) had HCV-RNA alone (age=59) and six (16.7%) tested negative for both. Conclusions: This study depicts the epidemiological and clinical burden of dual HBV/HCV infection in Italy.
ISSN:0168-8278
1600-0641
DOI:10.1016/S0168-8278(03)00470-7