Role of Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Spontaneous Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Clearance during Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
To examine the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in spontaneous hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance during the course of chronic hepatitis Bvirus (HBV) infection, serum specimens from 32 asymptomatic HBsAg carriers and 22 patients with chronic hepatitis type B who underwent spontaneous HBsAg clearance were studied for antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) using commercial EIAs. The results were compared with those of control groups matched for age, sex, hepatitis B e antigen, antibody to hepatitis delta virus, and cirrhosis. Eight (25% ) of the asymptomatic carriers and 9 (41%) of the patients with chronic hepatitis were seropositive for anti-HCV in contrast to 1.6% and 9.1% of their respective control groups (P < .01). Serum alanine aminotransferase level was persistently abnormal after HBsAg clearance in one asymptomatic carrier and in four patients with chronic hepatitis. These patients were seropositive for anti-HCV and at least one of them was negative for HBV-DNA by polymerase chain reaction. The data suggest that HCV superinfection may not only suppress HBV or terminate the HBsAg carrier state but may also assume the role ofHBV as the cause of persistent hepatitis or transaminase elevation.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: